The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-02

into the depths where it abounds, flashes OF
color-blue, gold. sapphire. purple. green
and other h~ues--appear in bewilde-ing
frequency, ranging from the sofest to the
most intense and vivid lights, marking thi
living sapphire as one of the true gems OF
the sea.
Among the Tunicata are several beauti-
full light bearers. The most noted Of these
is Pyrosoma, a free swimming colony Of
simple ascidlans.
The luminous radiance which is see in
the wake Of a vessel or boat has long been
known. and this is the animal chiefly re-
sponsible for IT. These colonies Of animals
are richly tinted during the day, but at
night, as their name implies, they resemble
incandeScent bodies.
The animal moves through the water
like a stern wheel steamer Ind its radiance
when in repose is an opal yellow, but when
excited or moving about the light passes
through various shades OF deep red, OF Hnge
green and azure rlue. Prof. Moseley once
captured a Pyrosoma 1 feet long, 10 inches
in diameter, with walls an inch thick.
1t was placed upon the deck OF the ves-
sci, and when the naturalist wrote his name
upon the animal with his finger 1t came out
in letters Of IRE, each letter seeming to in
crease in size until the entire name vas lost
in a blaze of light that radiated rapidly and
soon sutfused the entire animal, presenting
n marvellous spectacle and showing, in a
striking manner, how intimately the ami
mails are connected.
-Salpa, another ascidian, is ~phosphores-
cent. Inc animal is cylindrical in shape, a
little fattened above and below and seem
ingly moulded in glass, 50 beautiful Is its
structure upon examination. When NOV
ing along, on lark nights, they present the
nnnalranCa nf fa~U o-Danfz mr. lnrpinnHS
ribbons winding their way Owe" the sea.
Another member Of the family, the
Appendicularia, which resembles a tadpole.
with a long tail, has the power OF o INIT nS
light Of a variable color-rei. blue, green
and even white-from the latter.
Among the mollUsca, the little Pholas,
which is al le TO ore into the hardest rock,
is the most striking in its light giving prop
critics. Pllny was pro a ly among the
first to place on record the luminosity OF
this little orer. having stated that it sh0ne
in the months OF those who ate H..
One OF the early philosophers demon
strated that IL could lie used "a a lamp,
This was accomplished by placing one in
seven ounces Of milk, which rendered tho
latter so luminous that print could have
feen read by it, the milk appearing Amos
transparent.
1t was attempted to render the light
Of this amin al permanent. and ~ placing
one In honey the luminosity was apparently
preserved LOT u year, Jne uRDJ TcdPBtdTHlA
whenever the mollI sk was placed in warm
water. Brandy, vinegar or wine extin-
guishes the light.
Another luminous molIusk which showed
up well in the aquarium was the dainty
Cleodora. This animal has a pyra nidal
shell, terminating in three sharp splnes.
the winglike fms rising above, and very
much resembles a ship.
at is rarely over half an inch in length,
almost transparent and bears in its shell
red or white, which is distinctly seen through
the Transparent covering. In the aquarium
IL looked like an Illuminated fairy ship
gliding through The water.
-Cleodora moves IN a reg Ia and stately
manner very different from that Of Hyalea,
another mollusk, which is very active and
looks not unlike a luminous butterfly dart
ing here n there in erratic flight in search
Of food.
Many starfishes are luminous. ! re-
member dredging one specimen OF the
Massachusetts, coast which appeared "a II
burning internally with intense heat. The
light OF another was a brilliant green and
seemed to spring from the centre OF the
disk, flashing out now upon one arm, again
upon another. OF suddenly Illuminating the
entire star in a brilliant aureola OF phos-
phorescence.
One OF the rarest and most delicate Of
these animals is the Busingas. and 1 wns
able TO secvre bur a single specimen. This
animal has nineteen long snakellke arms,
branching from a small central circular
body.
ITS color in the daylight IL a rich orange
red, but at night Il displays a vivid phos-