66 LIVING LIGHTS. 



lower pair ornamented with a large eye-spot, well shown in 

 the accompanying figure ; the iris or border being red, while 

 the centre is half red and half white, rendering it a very con- 

 spicuous object. The remarkable extension of the head — or 

 lantern, as it has been called — is pale yellow, ornamented with 

 longitudinal red stripes. In this projection the luminous 

 property of the lantern-fly is said to exist. 



In Mme. Merian's work on the insects of Surinam, she says, 

 " The Indians once brought me, before I knew that they shone 

 at night, a number of these lantern-flies, which I shut up in a 

 large wooden box. In the night they made such a noise that 

 I awoke in a fright, and ordered a light to be brought, not 

 knowing from whence the noise proceeded. As soon as we 

 found that it came from the box, we opened it, but were still 

 much more alarmed, and let it fall to the ground in a fright, 

 at seeing a flame of fire come out of it ; and as many animals 

 as came out, so many flames of fire appeared. When we 

 found this to be the case, we recovered from our fright, and 

 again collected the insects, highly admiring their splendid 

 appearance." 



Such a statement naturally attracted attention ; and, from 

 its publication until the present, collectors have endeavored to 

 substantiate it. Count Hoffmansegg states that his insect 

 collector Sieber, who was a practical entomologist of thirty 

 years' experience, took many specimens of F. lanternaria in 

 Brazil, but never saw one emit light. The Marquis Spinola, 

 in the annals of the " Entomological Society of France," vol. 

 xiii., contends for the luminosity of the entire tribe. On the 

 other hand, M. Richard succeeded in raising a species of 

 Fulgora, but failed to observe the light ; while M. Westmael 

 assures us that a friend of his observed the luminosity. 



