LIVING LAMPS 221 



29th its luminosity appears to have been at its maximum, the 

 branches of trees being even Hghted up as it flew amongst 

 them. It was presently joined by a companion, also luminous, 

 but not so bright as its mate, and I am assured by Mr. Purdy 

 that on different occasions one or other of them was seen in 

 six contiguous parishes. The nightly rounds of a Barn-Owl, 

 which are often much the same in line of flight, would not be 

 expected to extend further than that under any circumstances. 

 The light is described by those who saw it best as pale yellow 

 with a reddish tinge; at its brightest it was about as briUiant 

 as the light of a bicycle lamp some three or four hundred yards 

 away, and that was what IMr. Purdy at first mistook it for. 

 Anyhow, the light does not seem to have had the effect of 

 giving warning to Rats and IMice, for Mr. Hamond's bailiff 

 saw it drop on one, and heard the little animal shriek. On one 

 occasion the shining bird was quietly seated on a gate, and 

 another time on the ground, having probably just dropped in 

 pursuit of a mouse. Those who saw it best agree that it was 

 much brighter when coming towards the observer, and espe- 

 cially when rising in the air, but so much did the light pale as it 

 flew away in the contrary direction that it is certain that little, 

 if any, of the glow proceeded from the back of the bird ..." 



In 1908 Mr. Gurney remarked that sufficient evidence had 

 been brought forward to prove that luminosity in nocturnal 

 birds is after all not so very rare a phenomenon, though seldom 

 approaching the exceptional brilliancy of these (and other) 

 Norfolk owls, but often enough to be the origin of a good 

 many will-o'-the-wisp stories. 



The one and only bird actually known to shine at night is 

 the barn-owl of western Europe, which does not shine by its 

 own light, but through the intermediary of a fungus sticking 

 to its feathers. The barn-owl in this country, almost identical 

 with the European one, apparently is never luminous. 



Among the tree frogs there is one kind found in Europe 

 which exudes from the surface of its body a shining substance 

 having luminous properties. 



