The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-04-16
Plosphoreseeni lIshes.

fhosph0rescent ishes.
OF the various phosphorescent Great
ures Which abound IN the warm water,
Of the tropics, the pyrosom0, or fire.
body, Is among the most curious ia IL
form, its habits Of living, and its won
derful power OF Illuminating the water
This little lantern Of the sea is 50 care.
fully described by DR.. Gardner, as hs
saw it on his voyage to Brazil and 70
Ceylon, that his account cannot fail b
be Of interest On his passage from
England, and while about two degrees
Of south latitude aud twenty-six degrees
Of west longitude, he was called up by
the Captain about half-past 10 o'clock
at night
When reached the deck one of the
most magnificent scenes imaginable
presented itself. All round the shin ~
as great a distance as the eve could
reach the swell, which was running
pretty high, was emitting from is sur
face at short intervals long. broad
sheets Of phosphorescent light, which
continued bright only a second or two,
and then disappeared.
The continued glare Of these long
streams Of light, their sudden appear
ance and disappearance, as II detached
portions Of sheet-lightning we're flash.
ing from wave to wave, gave a wild and :
terrific aspect 70 the surface Of the
ocean. The reflection from It was so
great that the sails Of the ship were a.
lumined by the glare.
The aLft - -.-.f-l. g.. -1....A nEI..
was one continuous stream Of pale vel
low light, upon which, ever and anon.
were floating away and becoming ex-
tlnct curious masses Ofa circular shape.
varying from half a foot to two feet in
breadth, Of a livid hue, similar to that
which burning sulphur emits. These
masses retained their livid, hame-like
appearance till they we're about six on
eight yards from the ship, when they
became extinct. their beautl-
ful color contrasting singularly with
the pale yellow stream on which they
foated.
This curious state Of the sea lastedR,
only about a quarter Of an hour, after
which the water assumed its usual as
pect the foam at the ships bow present
Ing only " the sparkly appearance which
i usually exhibits within the tropics.
1t Is we'll known that the circular
masses Of light which have described
are produced from aggregated masses
u very small marine animals, b. which
he name Of PBros0ma is given. did
lot, however, capture any, as my tow
ng-net was at this time out Of order,
'ut during my voyage 10 Ceylon was
more fortunate.
On the 25th Of November, in three or
our degrees Of north latitude and
wenty-three degrees Of west longitude.
With cloudy weather and the thermom-
ter at eighty-one at noon, we came
hortly after dark into a field Of these
nimals, and though tie Srilliancy of {,
heir light was not 50 great as on tho
ormer occasion, they we're more numer-
as, for the ship sailed through them
or several hours.
They we're seen in broad shoals AZ
reat but irregular distances from each
ther The iowing-net soon procured
70 q large supply Of the extraordinary
nimals Of which these shoals were
imposed. They gave out g bright.
ale, yellowish green light. which thev
stained for some time after they we're
rought on board.
Each mass was shaped not unlike the
nger Of a glove, being hollow, and
osed at one end. They varied little
size, but were generally about four
ches in length. The little animals oi
hich these masses are made np are
aced horizontally, aud lie CLOSELY
lcked over each other, their heads
ing toward the outer surface. When
ipt in a glass in salt water they soon
parated from each other, aud. BEING
ny transparent were then scarcely n
distinguished from the water They
ste exactly like fresh oysters