The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-10-31

white light that could be distinguished
long distance on the darkest night.
The water here was filed with jelly
fishes and other minute ielly-like forms,
so that the slightest disturbance in the
water created blaze of light.
The light of jellyfshes has practical
value. On the New England coast the
mackerel fishermen take advantage of it
by following the schools at night, rely
ing upon the telltale iellies and other
minute light givers to expose the situa-
ton of the fish, which they really do by
a very simple process. The mackerel,
by swimming along in vast body, dis
turb the jellies, irritating them so that
the entire school looks like a patch of
fire on the water, which can be seen
from the topmast of the mackerel-
long distance off. Toward it the vessel
is directed. the large net thrown about
the fiery spot. and enormous hauls of
fish made.
Ii single school of fish can change
the water for acres into mass of SEEM
ing fire, we can imagine the appearance
of the ocean in a storm where phosphor-
escent animals abound. The effect in
such cases is often remarkable. Ahead
of the ship will be mass of foam blaz-
ing like fire, and so brilliant that the
sails, masts. and rigging are illumined
by if. In such sea one of the most re-
markable of all phenomena was OBJ
served-a luminous waterspout. The
spout was large and seemed lost in the
clouds, literal pillar of fire travelling
by night, and 80 appalling spectacle
that it terrified mariners; yet the simple
phosphorescent jellyfishes, diatoms, noe
tiluca, and others, were the cause;
whirled about, torn apart by the rush
ing waters, the light was augmented
until the entire monster column ap-
peared to blaze with light and stand
out against the sky like pillar OF fire.
Such sight might we'll excite the su-
perstitious fears of the sailors and aug
ment the terrors of the sea.
One of the most remarkable of the
jelly.lik luminous animals is known as
the pyrosma, or fire body" 1t resem-
blss cylinder, open at one end, from
six inches to four or five feet in length,
and is in reality a community of ami
hot 30
ship once sailed through sea of these
creatures, with result that was awe.
inspiring. The water had a milky ap.
pearance, and looked, upon examination,
as though it were filled with red hot
cylinders. The sea when it broke gave
spectral glare to everything, so that
the sails and rigging cast dark shadows
on the deck.
Some of these fire bodies were nearly
five feet in length and presented most
singular spectacle when brought on
deck, great waves of fire sweeping over
the surface, which seemed to be stud
ded with bolts. or to have the appear
once of hammered brass. The natural
ist Bibra took one of these fire. bodies
and placed it in a jar of water which he
suspended from the ceiling, when it
emitted SO brilliant light that he &C
tually wrote description of the animal
by its own light.
The animals which constitute these
cylinders each draw in water from the
outside and eject it into the interior
and the volume, rushing out or forced
out of the larger end, forces the animal
along, after the manner of some of the
steamers used in canals, in which waite.
is simply forced out of pipe in the
stern, thus pushing them along.
These lights have their uses in the
economy of nature; they are signals and
warnings. and undoubtedly aid the il
Elimination of the submarine world. The
light is we'll known in every sea, familiar
to everyone who has crossed the ocean
or sailed upon it. and there is hardly
branch of the animal kingdom that does
not contain light-giver, yet no one. so
far, has given satisfactory explanation
OF the cause of the light-the same light,
apparently, that is seen in living ami
mails. in decayed wood and animal nat.
ter, in minerals. and under conditions in
which ordinary light cannot exist nor
combustion continue.-C. F. Holder, in
The Outlook.