Ch. XV.] FIEE-FLIES. 255 



mittent light, which alternates with darkness ; but on fine 

 evenings and in favourable (that is, damp and swampy) 

 localities, they present a very remarkable appearance. Clus- 

 tered in the foliage of the trees, instead of keeping up an 

 irregular twinkle, every individual shines simultaneously at 

 regular intervals, as though by a common impulse ; so that 

 their Hght ptilsates, as it were, and the tree is for one 

 moment illuminated by a hundred brilliant points, and the 

 next is in almost total darkness. The intervals have about 

 the duration of a second, and during the intermission only 

 one or two remain luminous. To all appearance they are 

 not on the wing at the time, but settled upon the tree ; for I 

 was able to recognise certain points of light which I especially 

 noticed, and which remained in the same situation at each 

 successive flash. "When I disturbed them under such cir- 

 cumstances they flew about at random, each one giving out 

 a more rapidly intermittent light. At Labuan, however, I 

 have frequently seen them shine with a steady Hght as they 

 flew along, looking hke little falling stars of the second, or 

 even first, magnitude. 



The candle-fly (Candelaria), with a curved and pointed head, 

 does not appear to give out light as its name would indicate. 

 These insects are found in Labuan and Sarawak, and fi-equent 

 the upper parts of the lofty trees of the jungle. The only 

 fire-fly of these parts is the above-mentioned little beetle. 



The Agri-Horticultural Society's gardens are situated 

 about three miles firom town, along Orchard Eoad, one 

 of the prettiest outlets of Singapore, with a shady grove of 

 trees on either side for the greater part of the way. They 

 are commonly known as the Botanic Gardens, and when I 

 visited them I expected to have found them something of 

 that character. But they are merely pleasure grounds, kept 



