396 FREAKS OF PLANT LIFE. 



light, somewhat similar to that emitted by the larger 

 fire-flies, having a pale greenish hue. From this cir- 

 cumstance, and from growing on a palm, it is called 

 by the inhabitants ' Flor de Coco.' " 



Dr. Cuthbert Collingwood has given his experience 

 of the same, or a closely-allied species, in Borneo. 

 " The night being dark, the fungi could be very dis- 

 tinctly seen, though not at any great distance, shining 

 with a soft pale greenish light. Here and there spots 

 of much more intense light were visible, and these 

 proved to be very young and minute specimens. 

 The older specimens may more properly be described 

 as possessing a greenish luminous glow like the glow 

 of the electric discharge, which, however, was quite 

 sufficient to define its shape, and when closely 

 examined, the chief details of its form and appear- 

 ance. The luminosity did not impart itself to the 

 hand, and did not appear to be affected by the 

 separation from the root on which it grew, at least 

 not for some hours. I think it probable that the 

 mycelium of this fungus is also luminous, for, upon 

 turning up the ground in search of small luminous 

 worms, minute spots of light were observed which 

 ■could not be referred to any particular object, or 

 body, when brought to the light and examined, and 

 were probably due to some minute portions of its 



1 Hooker's "Journal of Botany,'' 1840, ii., p. 426. 



