Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries 59 



tion is given by the great English entomologist, Miiffet (1553-1604) . 

 He called Oviedo's " worms " centipedes similar to those observed 

 in England. Thus Oviedo's account may be taken as adding these 

 two species to the growing list of recognized luminous creatures, 



phosphorescent wood 



Another interesting luminescence reported by Oviedo (1526) was 

 " Putrified woodde shynyng in the nyght." The description is as 

 follows: ^ 



I haue also thought good here to speake sumwhat of such thynges as 

 coomme to my rememberaunce of certeyne trees which are founde in 

 this lande [West Indies in general], and sumetyme also the lyke haue 

 bynne seene in Spayne. These are certeyne putrifyed troonkes which 

 haue lyne so longe rottyng on the earth that they are verye whyte and 

 shyne in the nyght lyke burnynge fyre brandes. And when the Span- 

 yardes fynde any of this woodde, and intende priuily in the nyght to 

 make warre and inuade any prouince when case so requyreth that it 

 shalbe necessary to go in the nyght in such places where they knowe 

 not the way, the formost Christian man whiche guydethe the waye, 

 associate with an Indian to directe hym therein, taketh a lyttle starre 

 of the sayde woodde, which he putteth in his cappe hangynge behynde 

 on his shoulders, by the lyght wherof he that foloweth nexte to him, 

 directeth his iourney, who also in lyke maner beareth an other starre 

 behynde hym, by the shynynge whereof the thyrde foloweth the same 

 waye, and in lyke maner do al the rest, so that by this meanes none 

 are loste or stragle owte of the way. And forasmuche as this lyght is 

 not seene very farre, it is the better pollicie for the Chrystians bycause 

 they are not thereby disclosed before they inuade theyr enemies. 



Oviedo remarked that the Avood Avould be more valuable if the 

 glow lasted a longer time instead of two or three days. 



This statement is the earliest scientific record of luminous wood 

 in America but can hardly be considered new or unusual, as lumin- 

 ous wood was known to Aristotle, and Oviedo himself mentioned its 

 occurrence in Spain. There are many other early accounts by 

 travelers and in literature of the existence of phosphorescent wood 

 and its use for illumination. Olaus Magnus (1490-1555) , the Arch- 

 bishop of Upsala, in his history of northern nations {De Gentibus 

 Septentrionalium Variis Conditionibus, etc., 1567) , mentioned rotten 

 oak bark carried by people of the far north to light their way through 

 the forest. 



'' Richard Eden's translation of the Summario, taken from The first three English 

 books on America, edited by E. Arber, 227, Birmingham, 1885. This translation agrees 

 well with later ones. 



