174 HAUNTS AND HOBBIES 



firefly, and also more beautiful ; it was softer, and was, 

 besides, faintly tinged with green. My examination 

 being concluded, I carried the little captive into the 

 verandah, and there released him. His soft light flitted 

 for a minute or so in the darkness, and then dis- 

 appeared. Either he had extinguished it, or he had 

 himself become concealed among the shrubs of the 

 garden. 



But of all the Indian insect lights the palm for 

 beauty must, I think, be conceded to that of the glow- 

 worm. I can only, however, remember but once 

 beholding it. I was on leave at Mussoorie. Riding out 

 one evening, I passed a rocky bank much overgrown 

 with bushes and long grass. At one place near the 

 bottom of the bank I noticed a glow of light ; it was 

 so large and soft that I stopped to examine it. I found 

 that it issued from a small hollow, where a piece of the 

 rock had loosened and fallen out. A curtain of 

 long grass hung over in front, giving to the hollow 

 the aspect of a little cave. It required but slight 

 imagination to picture some small fairy seated within 

 it, so clear, so soft and beautiful, was the light that 

 filled the hollow and shone through the veil of grass. 

 It was a disillusioning when I drew aside the grass and 

 found behind it only a large grub of a most unpleasant 

 appearance. 



From insects I will now turn to animals. In a 

 former chapter I stated that I should presently say 

 a few words regarding that variety of them that can 

 fly, namely, the bats. An incident that occurred the 

 other evening reminds me to do so. I had finished 



