CH. VII.] LUMINOUS WINGED INSECTS. 127 



these insects, as well as others, are attracted by 

 the light, and, at the same time, we are told, the 

 Indians often call out cucuie, cucuie ; and after hav- 

 ing secured a sufficient number, they return and let 

 them loose in their residences, where the insect 

 seeks the moschetoes about the beds, and the faces 

 of those asleep. The same person also relates, that 

 many wanton wild fellows rub their faces with the 

 luminous matter of these insects, for the purpose 

 of meeting their neighbours with a flaming counte- 

 nance. 



On certain festival days they are collected in 

 great numbers, and distributed over the garments 

 of the young people, who gallop through the street 

 on their chargers, which are also similarly orna- 

 mented; thus producing, on a dark evening, the 

 idea of moving figures of fiery horsemen. And also 

 on similar occasions, the young men display their 

 gallantry by decking their mistresses with these 

 sparkling living "diamonds." Mr. Southey has, in 

 one of his poems, mentioned this fly in the following 

 manner : 



" She beckoned and descended, and drew out 

 From underneath her vest a cage, or net 

 It rather might be called, so fine the twigs 

 Which knit it, where confined two fireflies gave 

 Their lustre. By that light did Madoc first 

 Behold the features of his lovely bride." 



It is related by Mouffet, that, on one occasion, 

 this insect caused in the West Indies the failure of 

 some troops ; for in the evening of the day on which 

 they had landed, they saw an infinite number of 

 moving lights in the woods, which they supposed 

 were the torches of the Spaniards advancing upon 

 them, and immediately betook themselves to their 



Having mentioned three species of coleopterous 

 or hard-winged insects, we will now proceed to 

 speak of two of the hemipterous order, which are 



