96 WOODLANDERS AND FIELD FOLK 



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 illumina- 

 tion, 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 

 settlements, the fireflies are frequently used in a 

 curious way when travelling at night. The natives 

 tie an insect to each great toe; and on fishing and 

 hunting expeditions make torches of them by fasten- 

 ing several together. The same people have a 

 summer festival at which the garments of the young 

 people are covered with fireflies; they are then 

 mounted on fine horses similarly ornamented, and 

 their sparkling steeds are allowed to gallop through 

 the dusk, the whole producing the effect of a large 

 and quickly moving light. 



Another phosphorescent little creature found 

 commonly in Britain is a centipede with the ex- 

 pressive name Geophilus electricus. This is a tiny 

 living light which shows its luminous qualities in a 

 remarkable and interesting fashion. It may not 



