H4 Poachers and Poaching. 



to shine. The larvae of the glow-worm is 

 capable of emitting light, but not to be compared 

 to that of the developed insect. Both in its 

 nature and immature forms, Lampyris noctiluca 

 plays a useful part in the economy of Nature. 

 To the agriculturist and fruit-grower it is a 

 special friend. Its diet consists almost wholly 

 of small shelled snails, and it comes upon the 

 scene just as these farm and garden pests are 

 most troublesome. British fireflies probably 

 have never yet figured as personal ornaments to 

 female beauty. This is, and has always been, 

 one of their uses to the dusky daughters of the 

 tropics. They are often studded in the coiled 

 and braided hair, and perform somewhat the 

 same office as diamonds for more civilised 

 belles. Spanish ladies and those of the West 

 Indies enclose fireflies in bags of lace or gauze, 

 and wear them amid their hair or disposed about 

 their persons. The luminosity of our modest 

 English insect is far outshone by several of its 

 congeners. Some of these are used in various 

 ways for illumination, and it is said that the 

 brilliancy of the light is such that the smallest 

 print can be read by that proceeding from the 

 thoracic spots alone, when a single insect is 

 moved along the lines. In the Spanish settle- 

 ments, the fireflies are frequently used in a 

 curious way when travelling at night. The 

 natives tie an insect to each great toe ; and on 



