30 HEMIPTERA. 



prising j)articiilars of a specimen of it from Peru.* Her account has, however, been 

 2;encrally believed since the missionariest in countries which produce those insects have 

 confirmed lier account. It is admitted that the Chinese Fulgora has an illuminated 

 appearance in the night. ' The foreheads of many Fulgorse (especially those found in 

 China) emit a lively shining light in the night-time, which, according to some authors, is 

 sufficient to read by.' — Yeats. \ 



" The light of the Fulgorse is generally imagined to issue from the trunk, or 

 elongated projection of the forehead ; but Roesel otters a conjecture on the light of the 

 Fulgora Laternaria, which, on further investigation, may enable naturalists to determine 

 whether the light is entirely produced by an innate property of the trunk, or receives 

 additional splendour from some external cause. He notices a white farinaceous sub- 

 stance on several parts of the wings and body as well as the trunk, which, he observes, 

 looks like the decayed wood which shines at night. We mention this conjecture of 

 Roesel, though the same occurred to us before we perused his observations. We have 

 invariably found a similar white powder on other insects of this genus, but usually upon 

 the trunk only. The remarks of Roesel were necessarily veiy limited, two species of the 

 Fulgorae only being then known. We possess twelve distinct species, and have made 

 dissections and observations on several others ; from all which we are inclined to imagine 



them into a wooden box, without being aware of their shining at night; but one niglit, being awakened by an 

 unusual noise, and much frightened, I jumped out of bed and ordered a hght, not knowing whence tliis noise 

 proceeded. We soon perceived that it originated in the box; we opened with some inquietude, but were still 

 more alarmed after opening it, and letting it fall on the ground, for a flame appeared to issue from it, which 

 seemed to receive additional lustre as often as another insect flew out of it. When we observed this some time 

 we recovered from our terror, and admired the splendour of these little animals." Dissert, de generatlone et 

 metamorphibiis Insectorum Surinamensis. 



* Cucujus Peruvianus. " That which, beside the figure of the head, is most wonderful in this insect, is the 

 shining property of the same part, whereby it looks in the night like a lantern, so that two or three of these 

 fastened to a stick, or otherwise conveniently disposed of, will give sufficient light to those who travel or walk 

 in the night." Grew. Museum Rer/alis Societatis, p. 158. 



t Le ver-luisant. Ceux que nous voyons a la campagne dans les nuits d'ete ne jettent qu'une foible lueur : 

 mais ils y en a dans les Indes modernes qui repandent un eclat tres-vif. Ce sont, pour ainsi dire, des phosphores 

 animez. " Les Indiens," dit le savant auteur de la Theologie des Insectes, " ne se servoient autrefois dans 

 leurs maisons, et dehors d'aucune autre lumiere. Lorsqu'ils marchent de nuit, ils en attachent deux aux gros 

 doigts du pied, et en portent un a la main. Ces insectes repandent une si grande clarte, que par leur moyen 

 on pent lire, ecrire, et faire dans une chambre toutes les autres clioses necessaires." Lesser. Liv. 2. c. 3. re/w. 8. 

 " Le trait rapporte par le P. du Tertre dans son Histoire des Antilles, auroit bien d(i etre cite, il dit avoir 

 In son breviare a la clarte d'un de ces vers-luisans." 



J Yeats. Institutions of Entomology. 



