MAY. 109 



" The Glowworm shows the matin to be near, 

 And 'gins to pale his ineffectual fire." 



Darwin, however, was more enlightened, as he thus describes 

 this beautiful light : 



" You, 



Warm on her mossy couch the radiant worm, 

 Guard from cold dews her love-illumined form, 

 From leaf to leaf conduct the virgin light, 

 Star of the earth, and diamond of the night." 



Some authors have endeavoured to disprove the idea that 

 the Glowworm's light is intended for this purpose, and 

 assert, in proof of their opinion, that the male is also lumi- 

 nous, though in a less degree ; this, however, does not seem 

 sufficient to refute the popular belief, and, until some other 

 use is discovered for this phenomenon, we cannot err in 

 ascribing to it the poetical one which has gained such uni- 

 versal belief. The eyes are very peculiar : Mr. Knapp says, 

 " When viewed at rest, no portion of the eyes is visible, 

 but the head is margined with a horny band, under which 

 the eyes are placed ; this prevents all upward vision, and 

 the blinds are so fixed at the sides of the eyes, as greatly to 

 impede the view of lateral objects ; the chief end of this 

 creature's nightly peregrinations being to seek his mate be- 

 neath him on the ground, this apparatus seems designed to 



