NOCTURNAL SCENES. 7i 



of Linnaeus. This insect does not exist in Europe 

 bat is to be found in Japan. The lampyris noc- 

 tiluca, or glow worm, is quite a different animals 

 and is the same in this country as in Europe ; 

 The female is apterous, while the male is of the 

 coleoptera order, having four wings, and the up- 

 per wings crustaceous. The female emits the 

 light, and the male is guided by it to its paramour. 

 This anomaly is striking. As the female has no 

 wines and is confined to the earth, nature has fur- 

 nished her with a lamp to direct her winged part- 

 ner to the nuptial couch.* 



Next to the fire fly, the most striking nocturnal 

 object is the rana pipiens or bull-frog. The roar 

 of this animal is unknown to a stranger. He is 

 unknown in Europe — and a repetition of the 

 coarse and lugubrious cry of these animals, res- 



* The following lines from Southey's IVIadoc contain an excel- 

 lent description of the American ftre fly : 



Sorrowing we beheld 



The night come on ; but soon did night display 

 More wonders than it veil'd : innumerous tribes 

 From (he wood-cave gwarm'd, and darkness made 

 Th«<r boauties visible : one vrhile they stream'd 

 A bi it;i.t blue radiance upon flowers that closed 

 Their gorgeous colors from th< eye of day ', 

 .'V •/• motionltu and dark, ebided search, 



'/-shrouded .• and anon, slurring the sky, 

 Huf iihi atkowtrofftrtt 



