46 - THE NATUEAL HISTOET REVIEW. 



autlior says that Mr. F. Smith, of the British Museum, has rehated 

 to him the following anecdote, which confirms the opinion that 

 Fulgora is certainly luminous: "Whilst shewing these insects to 

 two young middys, one of them exclaimed, ' Why, look here ! 

 these are the Candle-flies that we used to knock down with our 

 caps in China.'" If our friend, ]\ir. E. Smith, were to tell 

 us that he had seen a Fulgora emitting light, we would at once 

 believe him ; but we do not think the reader will believe in the fact 

 on such evidence as appears decisive to Dr. Phipson. In addition, 

 he urges that the fact must be so, as Dr. Donovan has carefully 

 figured these insects, and his figures show them in the act of 

 emitting light from the points of their peculiar proboscis. If he 

 had only known it, he might have also referred to the title pages of 

 the "Entomological Magazine" for Fulgora showing a wondrous 

 luminosity, 'sine me dare lumina terris.' But we doubt if, in the 

 discussion above referred to, Mr. Newman brought this fact forward 

 as conclusive. 



Into the historical, theoretical, and practical considerations which 

 form the fourth and concluding portion of this volume, we do not 

 propose to enter. We cannot recommend this volume as a complete, 

 or even a tolerably complete, treatise on Phosphorescence. But it 

 nevertheless contains a compendium of facts of great interest, many 

 of which may be new to some of our readers. 



Vin. — New Coloi^ial Eloeas. 



Eloea op the Beittsh West I]s-dia:n- Islaij^ds. By A. H. E. 

 Griscbach, M.D., E.L.S., Professor of Botany in the University 

 of Gottingen. London: Eeeve and Co. 1864. 8vo. pp. 789. 



Enumeeatio Plant AEiJM ZETLAi^iiE ; AN Enumeeation of Ceylon 

 Plants, with Descriptions or the new and little known 

 Geneea and Species, Observations on their Habits, Uses, 

 Native Names, ETC. By G. H. K. Thwaites, E.L.S., Director of 

 . the E-oyal Botanic Gardens, Peradenia, Ceylon ; assisted in the 

 identification of the species and synonymy, by J. D. Hooker, 

 M.D., E.E.S., &c. London : Dulau and Co., Soho Square. 1864. 

 Svo. pp. 483. 



Dr. Geisebach's " Elora of the British West Indian Islands," is 

 the only work containing a complete account of the plants of any con- 



