The Washington times., 1902-10-05

Some of you may have seen that Won
derful and beautiful sight the lights in
the wild salt sea. / don't mean the
moonlight dancing on the waves, nor the
reflected lights of stars, nor of cities
on the shore. But the real sea lights.
those Strange. cold CLEANS of "elfsh
light" which, as fish breaks through
the surface of the water or a boats
prov pushing aside the green billows,
falls in 'hoary flakes" on either side.
Now. of course, you wish to know why.
for watef generally puts fire out! But
this sea flame has~no heat and does
not burn, but merely glows, as does
the frefly in the grass.
Almost without exception the crea-
lures which live in the sea. especially
those that are at home a mile or SO
beneath the passing steamer, are pro
vided with a mysterious substance SIM
liar to the phosphorus" on blue
match that shines when rubbed in the
dark. Fishes, jellyfshes and starfishes,
sea anemones and those strange
creatures I am about to describe all
glow and send out waves of light that
linger and float through the dark abyss
of the ocean. Sometimes very faint,
sometimes strong, but always beauti-
full.
Sea pens and sea fans, which are called
gorgonias.' are often displayed in drug
store windows, and the ships that un-
load their fishes at the markets bring
these curious growths to shore. where
they are sold as ornaments for mantels.
The sea pen is found alive only on
the bottom of the sea, where in the ever
lasting darkness it glows with the most
gorgeous color, purple o.. blue or red.
III
could possibly describe as writing in
struments, are related to the coral ami
mails which build the stony coral sold
in stores in the form of heads, neck
laces, etc. The sea pens and sea fans
have coral center. like the willow
switch when you remove the bark.
Around this core is a soft substance.
and here the little animals themselves
are found. each looking like tiny white
or red daisy. with a circle of petal
like tentacles.
The sea fans are nets of these branch
ing coral-like skeletons. each branch
surrounded by the little animals. The
sea fans glow as brightly as do the sea
pens. as If for. the purpose of lighting
the submarine highroads over which
innumerable fishes pass to and fro. The
corals themselves also have the power
of light
Among these splendid plant animals
are the deep crawl glowing worms, of
a dull white color or brilliant red;
crabs whose eyes shine like two sparks,
and many other light giving animals.
And over their waving tentacles float
hundreds OF animals closely resembling
pretty glass vases, but no vase of glass
ever glowed as they do. What are they?
oh,
comb vases Now. If we could catch
and examine one of them we should see
why that name lis given them. Their
shape is that Of a thimble, with the
mouth turned downward. They are Of
all colors and as transparent as a thin
glass. No vase can compare with these
that are never empty. always in motion
and of all colors Of the rainbow-rose
red, violet. blue. ana indigo. Down the
outside of these strange floating animals
extend fine bands. each ribon like band
closely attached to the skin. and On
these bands are hundreds of little wav-
ing plates-the combs-from which the
animal Is named. These combs are
not the only interesting part of a comb
vase for there are the tentacles, or
arms. which entangle the food.
When some of these comb vases are
thrown on shore and float in tide pool
they are so astonishingly transparent
that. though there are hundreds in the
pool, you can see nothing there until you
get close to the water and look below
the shimmering surface! Then they ap-
pear like tiny ghosts; SO ethereal that
motion of the hand In the water tears
them to fragments.
Other lights of the deep sea are the
"sea squirts," beautiful creatures, which
shine like lamps. They resemble irresu-
lar bottles with two necks and two open
ings. At one of these openings the
water tears them to fragments
Other lights of the deep sea are the
sea squrts," beautiful creatures, which
shine like lamps. They resemble irregu-
lar bottles with two necks and two open
ings. At one OF these openings the water
passes in and at the other 1t passes out.
Then there are the fireties of the sea.
They have very hard name, which
means wing-footed or wing armed, ami