The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1902-03-06
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Observation-Disclosures
or THE
CElCKASH
MILLING
COMP ANY.
OCEANIC PRospHoREscENcE.
The Organisms which Produce This
Interesting Phenomenon
Light at Great Depths.


A correspondent of the Londor
Telegraph at GorIeston calls attention
to the large amount of phospbo-
eseence which shows itself there and
at Yarmouth. J0westoft and o4he-
PAGES On the east coast OF Norfolk
This Phenomenon is deeply inter.
eztlng feature of marine life. both of
the deep sea fauna and the floating
or drifting superficial organisms. or
plankton, as they are collectively
called II has long been known that
nearly al the more lowly orders-the
lnrusoria, rhizopods, poIypes. echip-
ocerms, medusae, tunicates. mollusg-s-
crustacea and many insects-possegse
some power Of emitting light. A min
Ute rhizopod, the Noctiluca miliaris.
Is believed to be the chief cause Of
I phosphorescence of our seas. DR..
Phipson relates that he found it in
such prodigious numbers in the damp
sand at Ogtend that on raising hand
fnl OF it it appeared like % much
molten lava"
IL Is now ascertained, however. thai
many sea water bacteria are luuip-
Gus. The so-called phosphorescence
OF deeaying fish and meat is due to
bacilh- Mr.. Barnard and Dr. A. Mac
fadyear tavc ~-rd~ced cultures Of
these bacteria, showing their luminous
properties, and NJ. Tarchanoff a fort
night ago sent to the Academy of Sci
enees at Paris an account of similar
experiments with light emitting bac-
terra Of the Baltic. 1t would seem that
when oxygen has access TO readily
decomposing matter light is given off.
The chemical change takes place in
such way as to allow just that swing
or vibration Of atoms as to, generate
light
This, too, is cold light, luminosity
without heat, like tlat Of the frefy or
the glow worm. NJ. Tarchanoff has
produced luminous ice with his bacilli.
1t is also the cheapest light known.
In those brilliant tropical seas. where
you can read by it, which seem to daz-
zie with the glitter Of myriads Of dfa-
monds, how slight the mechanical en-
ergy to produce the radiant effect!
Prof Dolbear says one horsepower
spent without waste would maintain
a phosphoreseent light equal TO 100000
candles. Here is a chance for the in
ventorl
This ocednic phosphnrescenee he]ps
% solve another mystery Of The deep
sea. II used to be thought there could
pe no life below 200 or 300 fathoms:
hrst, because there was no light. and.
second, because there could be no
oxygen. Alas for deductive zooIorvr
Inc voyages of our exploring ships
nave proved that there IS abundant
and varied life, and tha polar currents
AIRY plenty OF oxygen to the deepest
lepths. From n depth of1.375 fathons
ne Chalienger's dredge brought nd
700 specimens belonging TO 80 genera
md IS species. Moreover. most Of the
inimals that have eyes above have
yes below, unlike the sightIess dwell
rs IN sunless caves, and many are
eautlIuly colored-white, purple.
Glow, red, pink, violet and green.
'ature would not waste color where 2
was not wanted. These are not j
bright things that CLEAN unrecLed
I and in vain" Miles below the sur-
ace the great majority Of the ami
lals have eyes" says Alexander Aeas-
- and many Of them are things Of
eaui}- II would seem that in these
oyases the light is phosp sphorescent. =
nd- as Prof Hickeou observes the
eep sea fauna is reearlabIe for the -
1eat number Of animals which poz-
'ss this quality. 1T occurs probably
iore or less in all the more important
roups A giant Pyrosoma was
ought up BY the challenqer's deem
"a trawl. Prof. Moseley says: II
rote my name with my finger On ftsl
lrface as it lay in tub at night. and
-e name came out in Few seconds