OF FULGORA CANDF.LARIA. . 47 



you will find in the Second Volume, p. 413. The veracity of 

 the authority of the Introduction to Entomology stands so 

 unimpeachably high, that it seems scarcely necessary for me 

 to say, that on a reference to Madame Merian's Insects of 

 Surinam, I find the abstract here given perfectly correct. 

 Neither need I repeat to you, that the wood-cut on the 

 wrapper of the Magazine represents Fulgora candelaria, the 

 jire-fly or lantern-fly of China. 



Before entering on the discussion of the abstract fact of 

 the luminosity of Fulgora, I think it necessary to express my 

 opinion as to the course we should adopt on its termination. 

 I would beg briefly then to state, that if the non-luminosity of 

 the Fulgora be positively proved, it is incumbent on us at once 

 to deprive it of its rays, which must tend to mislead ; and at 

 an early opportunity we must again meet, and consider the pro- 

 priety of removing it altogether from its present situation, and 

 substituting some other insect in its place. Mr. Doubleday 

 has a motion on the subject, which he will now read to you. 



Mr. Doubleday. — I beg to move, " That the representa- 

 tion of Fulgora candelaria, which appears on the wrapper of 

 the Entomological Magazine, be forthwith deprived of the 

 radii intended to indicate luminosity, and that the motto, sig- 

 nifying ' allow me to illuminate the world,' be henceforth 

 omitted." 



Mr. Chairman, I have to thank you for the impartial man- 

 ner in which this subject has been introduced. Nothing could 

 have laid the subject so fairly before us as the passage you 

 have read. I now call your attention to the leading fact in 

 that passage; vi%. that the species laternaria is the only 

 species concerning which there is any evidence as to its lumi- 

 nosity, and this evidence is that of Madame Merian, an 

 authoress who has been detected, over and over again, in the 

 most gross mistatements. Witness that remarkable one lately 

 pointed out by Mr. MacLeay, concerning Mygale avicularia, 

 which was supposed, on the sole authority of Madame Merian, 

 to kill birds, having first entangled them in its web ; a more 

 fabulous story than which the history of gnomes and fairies 

 cannot boast. In the instance before us, Madame Merian 

 gravely tells us, that the Fulgorce are produced from the great 

 CicadcB ; so much for her accuracy ! But I will trouble you 

 to refer to the note at the bottom of the page which you have 



