352 OBSERVATIONS ON 



witness who had been so very near to an ignis fatuus ; but 

 when at school, I recollect, from the bedrooms, we used fre- 

 quently to observe lights at night in a very wet wood, distant 

 about half a mile from the village. Sometimes two or three 

 or even more were seen at one time, and they appeared to 

 wander up and down about the marsh. It may be urged they 

 probably were tallow ignes fatni ; but the wood, of nutting 

 notoriety, was too well known to us from its swampy character 

 to be at all inviting for a walk by candle-light, and, besides, 

 the vagaries of the flames forbid our attributing them to human 

 agency. So well known was the phenomenon, that it was no 

 uncommon amusement to rise from our beds and watch the 

 Will-with-the- Wisps. However as we were not permitted to 

 go by night in search of " Jack-o'-lantern" adventures, these 

 observations must necessarily be received with some degree of 

 caution. In short, I think there can be no doubt but that the 

 moving (if I may be allowed to use the term) ignis fatuus of 

 this country always owes its origin to the spontaneous ignition 

 of gaseous particles, arising, in most instances at least, from 

 the decomposition of vegetable matter, and which, when 

 ignited, is put in motion by any current of air ; whilst the sta- 

 tio7iary one may arise from the same cause or the presence of 

 either the glow-worm or Scolopendra. I do not remember 

 ever to have heard or read of any of these lights having been 

 seen about the floating island which now and then shews itself 

 in Derwentwater lake ; but I think it is more than probable 

 that such things do occur, considering the immense quantity 

 of gas which escapes, which I have myself witnessed when an 

 oar or stick is thrust through the matted surface of vegetable 

 matter forming the crust of the island. 



The most detailed and satisfactory account of the ignis 

 fatuus I have been able to meet with, is contained in a highly 

 interesting paper in the number of Professor Jameson's Edin- 

 burgh New Philosophical Journal for January last, entitled, 

 " Observations on the Ignis Fatuus or Will-ivitk-t/ie-Wisp, 

 Falling Stars, and TJuanler Storms, by L. Blesson, Major of 

 Engineers, Berlin," which I think sets the question quite at rest, 

 and indubitably proves the gaseous origin of that appearance. 

 As the book is perhaps not generally within the reach of your 

 readers, I subjoin a copy of that portion of the paper relating 

 to the ignis fatuus ; and though the subject is rather without 



