286 SPOLJA zeYlAnicA. 



To show you what interestmg facts may tuin up unexpectedly, 

 I may mention that, only a few months ago, one of my valued 

 up-country coiTespondents sent me a very common beetle, and asked 

 me if I knew that it was luminous in the dark. He had captured a 

 specimen, one night, believing it to be an ordinary firefly, and was 

 surprised to find that it was of quite a different form. Although I 

 had been acquainted with this beetle — which is quite a common 

 one — for many years, and had handled and examined many speci- 

 mens of it, I was quite unaware of its phosphorescent properties. 

 Systematic entomologists in Europe were apparently equally ignorant 

 of the fact. Even when my attention had been drawn to the matter, 

 I was unable, for some time, to corroborate the observation. I 

 captured specimen after specimen and examined them in a dark 

 room, without any result, except that my faith in my friend's 

 accuracy began to wane. But I continued my investigations, and 

 was rewarded one night in observing a very distinct phosphorescence 

 emanating from a specimen captured on that afternoon. Moreover, 

 I was still further interested to find that the light did not proceed 

 only from the hinder extremity of the body, as is the case m common 

 fireflies and glowworms, but was emitted from a definite series of 

 points distributed along each side of the beetle. In fact, the insect 

 displayed what looked like a row of illuminated portholes on each 

 side of it. It would seem that this beetle is only occasionally 

 luminous, though the conditions that govern its display are still 

 obscure. 



I have smce discovered another beetle, hitherto unsuspected of 

 producmg light, that exhibits a similar series of phosphorescent 

 points upon different parts of its body. The inference to be drawn 

 from these interesting discoveries is that every unusual occurrence, 

 or what appears to be unusual to the observer, should be duly 

 reported and mvestigated. It may be aheady known ; it may lead 

 to nothing. On the other hand, it may be a clue to some discovery 

 of considerable scientific importance. 



There must be countless misuspected facts to reward the careful 

 observer. There are many problems and undecided questions that 

 any of you may be the means of solving. Let me mention a few. 



Have we an indigenous hedgehog in Ceylon V I fully beUeve that 

 we have. There are five species recorded from the Indian continent, 

 one of which — Erinaceus micropus — is common in the plains of 

 Southern India ; but not a single species has been recorded from 

 Ceylon, Yet I have been assured by competent observers that they 

 have seen true hedgehogs in Ceylon. I have had a most circum- 

 stantial account from one man of how they were found in shallow 

 burrows or runs beneath bushes, with the debris of insects upon 

 ^vhich they had been feeding strewn round the entrance to their 

 roticats. He had found them, more particularly, in the Eastern 

 Province. I would appeal to our outstatiori members to settle this 



