8974 Insects. 
though stubborn facts would ruthlessly dispel our long-dreamt dream; thus the robin 
covered the Children in the Wood “ painfully with leaves ;” the wolf glared on Little 
Red Riding Hood; and amongst insects, does not the glow-worm trim her lover's 
lamp, and does not the lantern fly, like a wandering star, flit before us in the forests 
of South America? Any matter-of-fact person who ventures to explode any of our 
popular beliefs meets with a cold reception; therefore, on looking over the July 
number of the ‘ Zoologist’ (Zool. 8656), and meeting with an article headed “ The 
Lanthorn of Fulgora Laternaria,” iu which Mr, Robert John Treffry, of New Granada, 
says, “I cannot tell why it is called the ‘lanthorn fly,’ for it gives no light,” in being 
able to answer his question by replying, “‘ Because other people have been more 
Ffortunaée than yourself, and have seen its beautiful luminosity.” Had I possessed no 
further knowledge of the subject than Mr. Treffry, what had I thought of the follow- 
ing ?—“ The so-called lanthorn appears to answer as a drum to reverberate its hum, 
and as a ‘buffer’ to protect it, when in its rapid flight it strikes against an obstacle, 
as it is elastic and horny. . . . . . I think its use is what [ have stated—an 
instrument of sound and a ‘ buffer”” JI am expected to believe that the lamp of the 
winged torch-bearer is no more than this. No! do not believe in any such degrading 
fact. I will bring evidence before you of such weight as to settle the question of the 
luminosity of the lantern fly, and restore it to its legitimate position in your minds as 
a light-bearing insect. At a Meeting of the Royal Physical Society of Edinburgh, 
held November 24th, 1858, a specimen of the lantern fly (Fulgora Laternaria) was 
exhibited by Dr. J. A. Smith, who observed that it was still an undecided question 
amongst naturalists whether these flies were really at any time luminous or not. It 
was therefore of importance that the undoubted evidence of eye-witnesses should be 
produced, Mr. Banks, of Prestonpans, who forwarded the Fulgora to Dr. Smith, 
was therefore at once requested to obtain further information from his correspondents 
on that particular point. On the 27th of April, 1859, at.a subsequent Meeting of 
the same Society, Mr. James Banks communicated, through Dr. Smith, the reply of 
his correspondent at Honduras to the question raised at the Society. Mr. Banks had 
received various letters upon the subject of the luminosity of Fulgora Laternaria: 
they all bore testimony to the truth of the statement of this fly really emitting a light. 
One from Mr. Alexander Henderson, of Belize, furnished the following details :— 
“In answer to the question, ‘Is it really luminous?’ certainly the fly possesses light, 
and therefore emits it. The light is evidently under control, for it increases and 
diminishes at pleasure. When the wings are closed there are three luminous spots on 
each side of the head-part, on the upper part (like a cat’s staring eyes) of a beautiful 
snlphur-coloured light, in rays that spread over the room. The third luminous spot 
is seen when the fly is on its back, half-way down the abdominal part of the insect. 
When quiescent the lumination is least ; in daylight the upper spots are nearly white, 
emitting no light whatever (its lively time is at twilight). Immediately on being 
agitated, or moving about, the spots become sulphur-colour, and radiate forth streams 
of light, clearly seen, although the sun be shining into the room, as it now does at the 
moment I write, with the creature in the glass tumbler before me. We shut out the 
light, and to test the power of the fly I took up a book and read two verses of the 
109th Psalm. Mr. Robert Gregg also took up a book and read by its light. I bope 
this will satisfy all that the lantern fly is luminous.” In the ‘ History of the West 
Indies,’ by R. M. Martin, 1837, vol. ii. p. 104, being vol. v. of the “ British Colonial 
Library,” is a statement fully corroborating the truth of the lantern fly being luminous. 
