300 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [ No. 3, 
loudly claims to be released, and if detained more than, twelve hours 
from rejoining its body, both head and body perish, and it is believed 
that such heads have often been captured, though I need hardly add, 
none of my informants had themselves seen one. ‘This superstition 
calls to mind the one formerly current in Hurope that the body of a 
witch might remain at home, or its semblance, whilst the spirit was 
at its evil practices abroad; hence the inutility of an alibe for the 
wretched beings accused of witchcraft. In India, Ignis-fatuus is com- 
monly known by the name of Bhutni. It usually occurs near villages 
and usually about tanks, or marshy spots, flat malarious country. 
The phenomenon is very common around the Rajmahal hills, on the 
flat alluvium near the hills, and the best instance I ever witnessed was 
near one of the bungalows built by the late M. Pontet near where 
the railway passes, but the exact name I have forgotten. It was a 
cold night in January (I think) when, about nine o’clock, I was 
called by my servant in accordance with previous direction of mine, 
and told that ‘many Bhutnis’ had come out. Sure enough several 
lights were visible moving about a little, but usually not far from 
one spot. I think I must have watched one at some 300 yards for a 
quarter of an hour, and can only describe it without suggesting an 
explanation, save that it may have possibly originated with some 
luminous insects collected together. The light had all the appear- 
ance of an ordinary mussal or oil torch, and appeared fully as large 
and as bright. It had the appearance of emanating from some slowly 
consuming body with the evolution of phosphorescent fumes, but 
this might be merely the effect of a vivid light on the dense cloudy 
stratum of fog at that particular spot. The night was still, but an 
occasional puff of air would alter the position of the light; which, 
however, seemed to possess the power of independent motion. The 
light faded or even disappeared under a stronger breeze, to re-appear 
on its dying away. The spot where this light I am describing 
centered was near a tank in some flat ground traversed by a small 
sluggish stream, and a tank margin is a common spot for such lights 
to be seen on. I can add little more regarding the mysterious 
appearance, save my conviction that its origin has yet to be traced 
out and established; my own belief in favor of a congregation of 
luminous insects being hesitatingly adopted for want of a better, and 
from the fact, as I take it, of the light shifting its position indepen- 
