540 LUMINOUS INSECTS. 



tribe, Elater noctilucus, is endowed with the same property, and that in a 

 much higher degree. This insect, which is called the fire-fly, and is an 

 inch long, and about one third of an inch broad, gives out its principal 

 light from two transparent eye-like tubercles placed upon the thorax ; 

 but there is also a luminous patch in the posterior and inferior region of 

 the metathorax, in a somewhat triangular and depressed cavity ordinarily 

 concealed by the elytra, but when these are expanded in the act of fly- 

 ing giving out a more considerable but more diffused light than the tho- 

 racic reservoirs ; in fact the whole body is full of light, which shines out 

 between the abdominal segments when stretched ; and being strongly 

 reflected by the two basal abdominal segments, gives an appearance of 

 the two luminous patches there which De Geer has described, but which 

 do not actually exist. ^ The light emitted by the two thoracic tubercles 

 alone is so considerable, that the smallest print may be read by moving one 

 of these insects along the lines ; and in the West India islands, particu- 

 larly in St. Domingo, where they are very common, the natives were 

 formerly accustomed to employ these living lamps, which they called 

 Cucuij, instead of candles in performing their evening household occu- 

 pations. In traveling at night they used to tie one to each great toe : 

 and in fishing and hunting required no other flambeau.^ Southey has 

 happily introduced this insect in his " Madoc,'' as furnishing the lamp by 

 which Coatel rescued the British hero from the hands of the Mexican 

 priests. 



" She beckon'd and descended, and drew out 

 From underneath her vest a cage, or net 

 It rather might be call'd, so fine the twigs 

 Which knit it, where, confined, two Fire-flies gave 

 Their lustre. By that light did Madoc first 

 Behold the features of his lovely guide." 



Pietro Martire tells us that the Cucuij serve the natives of the Spanish 

 West India Islands not only instead of candles, but as extirpators of the 

 gnats, which are a dreadful pest to the inhabitants of the low grounds. 

 They introduce a few fire-flies, to which the gnats are a grateful food, 

 into their houses, and by means of these " commodious hunters" are soon 

 rid of the intruders. " How they are a remedy," says this author, " for 

 so great a mischiefe it is a pleasant thing to hear. Hee who under- 

 standeth he hath those troublesome guestes (the gnattes) at home, dili- 

 gently hunteth after the Cucuij. Whoso wanteth Cucuij goeth out of the 

 house in the first twilight of the night, carrying a burning fire-brande in 

 his hande, and ascendeth the next hillock that the Cucuij may see it, and 

 he swingeth the fire-brand about, calling Cucuius aloud, and beating the 

 ayre with often calling out Cucuie, Cucuie.^' He goes on to observe, 

 that the simple people believe the insect is attracted by their invitations ; 

 but that, for his part, he is rather inclined to think that the fire is the 

 magnet. Having obtained a sufficient number of Cucuij, the beetle- 

 hunter returns home and lets them fly loose in the house, where they dili- 

 gently seek the gnats about the beds and the faces of those asleep, and 

 devour them.^ — These insects are also applied to purposes of decoration. 



' Lacordaire, Introd. a P Entom. ii. 141. 



* Pietro Martire, The Decades of the Nero World, quoted in Madoc, p. 543. 



* P. Martire, ubi supr. Dr. Burmeister disbelieves this account, because Elaters are not 

 carnivorous, but feed upon nectar and pollen {Manual, 492.) j but considering what nume- 



