THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
*57 
fully fcattered about, than any where between the coaft of 
California and Japan, in or near that latitude. 
During a calm, on the morning of the 2d, fome parts of 
the fea feemed covered with a kind of llime; and fome 
fmall fea animals were fwimming about. The molt con- 
fpicuous of which, were of the gelatinous, or medufa kind, 
almoft globular; and another fort fmaller, that had a white, 
or filming appearance, and were very numerous. Some of 
thefe laft were taken up, and put into a glafs cup, with fome 
fait water, in which they appeared like fmall fcales, or bits 
of filver, when at reft, in a prone fituation. When they 
began to fwim about, which they did, with equal eafe, upon 
their back, fides, or belly, they emitted the brighteft co¬ 
lours of the moft precious gems, according to their pofition 
with refpedl to the light. Sometimes they appeared quite 
pellucid, at other times aftuming various tints of blue, 
from a pale fapphirine, to a deep violet colour; which were 
frequently mixed with a ruby, or opaline rednefs; and 
glowed with a ftrength fufficient to illuminate the veflel 
and water. Thefe colours appeared moft vivid, when the 
glafs was held to a ftrong light; and moftly van rifted, on 
the fubfiding of the animals to the bottom, when they had 
a brownifh caft. But, with candle light, the colour was, 
chiefly, a beautiful, pale green, tinged with a burnifhed 
glofs; and, in the dark, it had a faint appearance of glow¬ 
ing fire. They proved to be a new fpecies of onifcus , and, 
from their properties, were, by Mr. Anderfon (to whom we 
owe this account of them), called onifcus fulgens ; being, 
probably, an animal which has a fhare in producing fome 
forts of that lucid appearance, often obferved near fliips at 
fea, in the night. On the fame day, two large birds fettled 
on the water, near the fliip. One of thefe was the pro cel- 
Vol. II. L 1 laria 
1778. 
March. 
\ U) 
Monday 2. 
