OF FULGORA CANDELARIA. 109 



all their phosphorescence, which becomes feeble if they are 

 allowed to remain long in a state of inactivity." I fear that all 

 this will be considered unavailing as regards the emission of 

 new light on the main question. 



Mr. Newman. — Seeing that my friend, the Editor, presses 

 the original motion, I shall think it my duty, Mr. Chairman, to 

 press the amendment proposed by my friend, the author of the 

 Letters of Rusticus. I was in hopes, when the author of the 

 Letters of Rusticus so ably and clearly pointed out that the 

 author of the Letters of Delta had in no way disproved the 

 luminosity of our insect ; and when my learned friend, seeing 

 the weakness in this point of his otherwise masterly speech, 

 requested of the Chairman permission to withdraw his motion ; 

 I was in hopes, I say, that the discussion would then have at 

 once terminated. Great indeed was my surprise, when I 

 heard the present Editor of the Magazine going over a series 

 of interesting but intangible topics, and adducing inapplicable 

 arguments, precisely similar to those of the author of the Letters 

 of Delta, which the author of the Letters of Rusticus had already 

 so ably refuted. I am compelled to say, that the speech we 

 have last heard, however luminous, throws on our luminous 

 subject but one solitary ray of light, and that ray has disclosed 

 a fact which militates against the theory advocated by the 

 speaker ; I refer to that part of his speech in which the Editor 

 produces evidence of the luminosity of the kindred species, 

 QFulgora laternaria, and acknowledges that that point is 

 proved. I am clear that the Editor, notwithstanding that 

 shake of the head, and these words, " But even allowing the 

 luminosity" of F. laternaria. Now laternaria being, by our 

 friends opposite, thus acknowledged to be luminous, and can- 

 delaria being reported luminous, and not one tittle of evidence 

 being adduced to the contrary, all the supposed intended 

 negative evidence relating to laternaria alone, surely we shall 

 be acting with undue precipitation if we venture to legislate on 

 the subject at present ; surely we shall be acting more safely 

 and more wisely if we accede to the proposition of the author 

 of the Letters of Rusticus, and adjourn the consideration of the 

 subject sine die, leaving the author of the Letters of Delta at 

 liberty to resume it whenever he shall have obtained more 

 conclusive information. And now the strongest argument that 

 I hear in favour of the change, is that of the present Editor, 



