Natural History. ^Zoology. 403 
parts of which they were composed ; and I examined several 
which I found next day rather in a languishing state, but which 
a change of water reanimated. The brilliant liquid of which 
they have so ample a reservoir, was not even altered ; for, ha- 
ving left, during some time, attached to the pencil, one of those 
which I had destined for examination by the microscope, it 
spread out a brightness which lasted seven or eight minutes, 
and was visible, even in full day, to various persons, at the dis- 
tance of several feet.” 
Many of the most lively specimens of these animals having 
been put into fresh water, very clear, and freed from all dis- 
agreeable intermixture, they were immediately precipitated to 
the bottom, became strongly agitated or convulsed, and died in 
about six seconds. Many of them, while expiring, gave out a 
quantity of their bright phosphoric fluid. 
It seemed absolutely necessary, in order that the insect might 
exert this power, that it should be in a state of humidity. When 
the moisture was absorbed, none shone even when bruised. 
Those which Godeheu had withdrawn from the sea, and placed 
in the same water in which he had found them, died one after 
another ; but the water in which they had been preserved, shone 
with a very lively light. A phosphoric matter collected in con- 
sequence of this observation, did not, however, last for any time. 
Three days were sufficient to make it lose its luminous property. 
This little animal appeared to be inclosed in, or protected by, 
a scaly covering, or shell. Its general contour might be said 
to resemble an almond split down one side, and a little sloped at 
its superior part. The posterior extremity of its body present- 
ed many globules, in the form of a moveable group or cluster. 
These globules are of a bluish-green, which becomes of a tar- 
nished yellow, in proportion as the animal approaches its end, 
Godeheu perceived in these grains, the phosphoric matter with 
which it is provided. We can scarcely doubt that these minute 
corpuscles are the eggs, and thence their luminous property is 
the less surprising, since the eggs of many fishes and of several 
insects present us with a similar phenomenon. 
Its superior part is furnished with four moveable antennae or 
horns, formed of many articulations, and terminated by tufts of 
very fine hair. The head is placed in the centre, and armed 
