LIVES OF THE LANTERN BEARERS 203 



tic reason for their brilliance. Down among the 

 grass blades are lowly, wingless creatures — the 

 female fireflies, which, as twilight falls, leave their 

 earthen burrows in the turf and, crawling slowly 

 to the summit of some plant, they display the tiny 

 lanterns which Nature has kindled within their 

 bodies. 



Far overhead shoot the strong-winged males, 

 searching for their minute insect food, weaving 

 glowing lines over all the shadowy landscape, 

 and apparently heedless of all beneath them. Yet 

 when the dim little beacon, hung out with the 

 hopefulness of instinct upon the grass blade, is 

 seen, all else is forgotten and the beetle descends 

 to pay court to the poor, worm-like creature, so 

 unlike him in appearance, but whose little illumi- 

 nation is her badge of nobility. The gallant suitor 

 is as devoted as if the object of his affection were 

 clad in all the gay colours of a butterfly ; and he 

 is fortunate if, when he has reached the signal 

 among the grasses, he does not find a half-dozen 

 firefly rivals before him. 



"When insects seek their mates by day, their 

 characteristic colours or forms may be confused 

 with surrounding objects ; or those which by night 

 are able in that marvellous way to follow the 

 faintest scent up wind may have difficulties when 

 cross currents of air are encountered; but the 

 female firefly, waiting patiently upon her lowly 

 leaf, has unequalled opportunity for winning her 



