Far Eastern and Classical Antiquity 29 



Since the birds of the Hercynian Forest (the Black Forest) have 

 been widely quoted by writers ^'^ of all periods as examples of lumi- 

 nescence among birds, it is only fair to Pliny to quote his state- 

 ment, which will emphasize the fact that the story was hearsay and 

 the birds were rare (" farre fetched ") . He wrote (Book X, Chap. 

 47): 



In Hercinia, a forrest of Germanic, wee have heard that there bee 

 straunge kinds of birds, with feathers shining like fire in the night 

 season. In other respects, I have nothing to say of them worth the writ- 

 ing, save only they are of some name, for beeing ferre fetched. 



Regarding the story of a luminous plant, which has likewise been 

 repeated by many subsequent writers, we must again credit Pliny 

 for quoting Democritus. In Book XXI, chap. 11, he wrote: 



As touching Nyctygreton (or Lunaria) Democritus held it to be a 

 wonderful hearb, and few like unto it; saying that it resembleth the 

 colour of fire, that the leaves be prickie like a thorn, that it creepeth 

 along the ground: he reporteth moreover, that the best kind thereof 

 groweth in the land Gedrosia, that if it bee plucked out of the ground 

 root and all after the Spring Aequinox, and be laid to dry in the moon- 

 shine for three daies together, it will give light and shine all night 

 long; . . . that some call it Chenomyche because Geese are afraid of it 

 when they see it first; others name it Nyctalops because in the night 

 season it shineth and glittereth a farre off. 



Pliny did not mention the luminescence of another plant, Aglao- 

 photis, so minutely described by Aelian, but merely said (Book 

 XXIV, Chap. 17) that it was also called Marmoritis, had beautiful 

 colors, was " magicall," and used by the wise men of Persia. *^^ 



Pliny's description of the glowworm ^^ has been much quoted, 

 including his incorrect idea of the control of its light. He wrote 

 (Book XI, chap. 28) : 



The glo-wormes, are named by the Greeks, Lampyrides, because they 

 shine in the night like a sparke of fire: and it is no more but the bright- 

 ness of their sides and taile: for one while as they hold open their 

 wings, they glitter; another while they keepe them close togithur, they 



*'' See Chapter III and C. Vogel, De avibus noctu lucentibus (1669), reviewed in 

 Chap. IV. It was natural that commentators on Pliny, like Caius Julius Solinus (third 

 century a. d.?) in his Polyhistor, should repeat the story. 



°^ None of the above plants are included in the index of the " Greek Herbal of 

 Dioscarides " (first century a. d.) , illustrated by a Byzantine (a. d. 512), englished by 

 John Goodyer in 1665, reproduced and edited by R. T. Gunther, Oxford, 1934. 



"" Not to be confused with the " pyralis " or " pyrusta " a four-footed creature with 

 wings found in Cypres, which lives only in fire and dies whenever it leaps out. 

 Chap. 36 of Book XI (vol. 1, p. 330 of Holland's translation, 1601) . 



