128 



NATURAL HISTORY. [cH. VII. 



Stated to possess the power of discharging a light 

 from the projection in front of their heads ; but as 

 to the accuracy of this statement, we think it best to 

 quote the words of the European who first pi omul- 

 gated this extraordinary phenomenon. Madame 

 Merian, in her work on the Insects of Surinam, gives 

 the following curious account of the manner in which 

 she was frightened by this insect : — 



" The Indians once brought me," says the lady, 

 ''before I knew that they shone by night, a number 



of these lanternflies {Fulgora lanternana), which I 

 shut up in a large wooden box. In the night they 

 made such a noise that I awoke in a fright, and 

 ordered a light to be brought, not knowing from 

 whence the noise proceeded. As soon as we found 

 that it came from the box, we opened it, but were 

 still more alarmed, and let it fall to the ground in a 

 fright, at seeing a flame of fire come out of it ; and 

 as many animals as came out so many flames of 

 fire appeared. When we found this to be the case, 

 we recovered from our fright, and again collected the 

 insects, highly admiring their splendid appearance." 



