Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 001.djvu/239

 bright Sun, or that it might be some dust in the Aire.

The great Microscope being fitted in the day-light for this piece of Fish, we examin'd it that night, and it yielded no light at all, either by the view of the Glass, or otherwise.

Finding it dry, I thought that the moisture of Spittle, and touching of it, might cause it to shine: and so it did, though but a very little, in a few small sparks, which soon extinguish'd. This we saw with the bare eye; not in the Glass.

The Fish were not yet fetide, nor insipid to the best discerning palats: And I caused two Fish to be kept for further Tryal, two or three days longer, till they were fetide in very hot weather; and then I expected more brightness, but could find none, either in the water, by stirring it, or in the Fish, taken out of the water.

And some Trials I made afterwards with other boyl'd Mackrels (as is abovesaid) with like pickle, but fail'd of the like success.

This season serves for many Trials in this kind, and by bet-bet Microscope, or better ordered. And in these Vulgarities we may perhaps as well trace out the cause and nature of Light, as in Jewels of greatest value, &c.

In of these Transactions were publish'd the Schemes and Description of certain Ways of Sounding the Depth of the Sea without a Line; and of Fetching up Water from the bottom of it; together with some Experiments already made with the former of these two Contrivances. The Author of the French Journal des Scavans found good, to insert them both in his Journal of May 3. but in another of May 24. intimates, that the said Schemes and their Descriptions are not very clear and intelligible (he means, that they were not well understood by French Readers) proposing also some Difficulties, relating to that Subject, and esteemed by him necessary to be satisfied, before any use could be made of the said Instruments.

Upon this occasion, the Author of these Tracts thinks fit, here to represent, Rh