136 LIVING LIGHTS. 



is also luminous ; for, upon turning up the ground in search 

 of small, luminous worms, minute spots of light were 

 observed, which could not be referred to any particular 

 object or body, when brought to the light and examined, 

 and were probably due to some minute portions of its 

 mycelium." Mr. Hugh Low has stated that "he saw the 

 jungle all in a blaze of light, by which he could see to read, 

 as some years ago he was riding across the island by the 

 jungle road, and that this luminosity was produced by an 

 agaric." 



Australia has produced a number of luminous toadstools. 

 Drummond found some striking forms near Swan River. 

 He had noticed two species growing as parasites on the 

 stumps of trees. Their appearance in the daytime did not 

 attract particular attention ; but at night they developed into 

 veritable plant lamps, exceeding any thing that he had ever 

 seen. One was about two inches across, and grew in clus- 

 ters on the stump of a banksia-tree which was surrounded 

 by water. When the little plant was secured from its 

 miniature island home, it could have been used as a lamp 

 for several successive nights, a newspaper being read by 

 placing the agaric on it, the light illuminating the type in 

 the immediate vicinity. As the plant dried, the light grad- 

 ually diminished. 



Later Mr. Drummond found a giant specimen that was 

 sixteen inches in diameter and a foot high, a veritable chan- 

 delier. He says regarding it, " This specimen was hung up 

 inside the chimney of our sitting-room to dry ; and, on 

 passing through the apartment in the dark, I observed the 

 fungus giving out a most remarkable light, similar to that 

 described above. No light is so white as this, at least none 



