Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-10-30
The PhOsphOrescencc of the Bay of Pam
anla.

Ihere is not, perhaps, a more extraordinary
phenomenon to be seen at sea than when the old
ocean is lignted up at night by the phosphores-
cenee produced by the myriads of animalculG
that inhabit its waters. This luminous property
of organic life is denied to the higher ranks of
animals For some years back we have taken
notes when the sea that fills the Bay of Panama
exhibits its periodic Examinations, and as an oc-
currence that must have equally excited the
wonder of many of our readers, we fancy the
results of our observations will not be devoid of
interest.
In February, when the rains are all over and
the sea loses its clearness along the shores, in
sheltered bays we begin to notice various col
ored patches on its surface. When said patches
are of a brick-red hue, the sea at night is sure
TO show forth its phosphorescence in every wave
that breaks on the beach. The track of every
fish is marked out by radiance like the tail of
q comet. The oars drop drops of fire, and the
least disturbance of the waters is followed by a
corresponding fash of unearthly light If we
take up some of the water and interrogate it
with the microscope, we find it contains an i'm
mense variety of the cyclopida, the bell-shaped
animacula and fan-shaped Spicula. But the
great lamplighter of the sea that stands first
is a little tailed vesice called the noctiluca
mitldrtS. We have never found it wanting when
the sea was wildly phosphorescent, and reddish
patches were seen by day on its surface, driven
onward by the wind and current. Caught and
collected in a tGmbler of Seawater al night these
light-giying visicles form a geatnouS scum on
its surface, dark when quiescent, but giving out
vivid blush light when the tumbler is shaken.
Looked at the next morning the mass of noe
tiluc@ has reddish tinge, and has sunk to the
bottom as If some modification had increased
their specific gravity. The spicu@, which ac-
companying these and aid in cOoring the sea,
are found to be hollow tubes disposed in zigzag,
stellar curves or shapes like the rib of a fan,
break up in pieces. Then there are round
minute geatinous masses studded with minute
ova, like plums in pudding. If retained any
length of time monads appear, and feeding on
the gelatine set free the oVa, which fall to the
bottom. The monads also enter, apparently, as
lntuSoral scavengers, the inside of the
spicular looking tubes filled with gelatine and
yoke like granuleS, and clean them out. They
also make their way into the inside of the nocti-
luce, consume the gelatine that diStends them
and liberates the more solid granules Above
all, the bell shaped anmalcul@ of the sea one
never tires of looking at. Every convulsive
contraction of the stalks carrying the bell is a
fash Of light, like that of the stars. Watching
still further the changes that take place in these
multiform marine infusorial luminous animal
cui3, we found that each and every one of
them finally eXtruded the ova-ike germs they
contained and broke up. The minute siliciouS
tubes hoated about empty. Of the bell shaped
animalculR there only remained the central
stalk. The bells were gone and the stalk empty
of its granules. 1t would seem, then, that all
these parent forms, after carrying about the
oya germs, die and decay or are eaten by mo-
nads, the ova-like granules are committed to
the deep, to the bottom of which they sink to
perpetuate the race; at all events the sea, to-
ward the end of February, has recovered in
transparency, and no relics of those lighters up
of the ocean could be detected.
with respect to thecauSe of phosphoreSence in
marine animals, opinions are as various as un-
satisfactory. That Of Prot. Panceri of Naples,
that it is due to the same condition that renders
dead fish luminous, no one who has witnessed
the power of emitting light by certain tropical
insects and worms, more especially that won
dertul beetle, Eldter p0ctittcus, which appear at
night, like wandering stars in the darkness of
the forest, would agree to. They abound on the
isthmus, where they are often caught and fed on
sugar cane. Left quiet and incosed in a cavity
made in the cane, they seem to get asleep. The
light emitting organ is dull and Opaque, but the
moment the insect is Weakened up, as il were the
light also becomes brilliant, like the letting on
OF more gas through an almost eXtingushed
gas burner The light organ is evidently under
the control Of the animal, and not the result of
any involuntary chemical condition. When the
animal is in torpid state, the sudden emission of
light strikes one with all the forcbleness as does
the return of intelligence to the human eye af-
ter state of insensibility. In most of the ma
rine infusoria the light-giving property seems
to reside on the surface of their bodies, rather
than in special glands. There is not more
beautiful object than certain microscopic melon
shaped jelly she (BerOel with its longitudinal
rows OF ella flashing fire when they are in ac-
ton. The mind of the observer refuses to be-
lieve that this brilliancy belongs to the same
category as the phosphorescence of decaying fish
and bones, and that for the reason that life in
them being extinct owes their phosphorescence
to the disengagement of phosphoretted hydro
gen. Professor Panceri, we understand, has
submitted the light of phosphorence to the
spectroscope, with what result we have not
heard. On the whole, we consider the phos-
phorescence Of the sea due to a function of ami
NAL life like the development of electricity in
some species, rather than as being mere opera
ton of inorganic chemistry. -Pdndnad Star and
HeTdld