128 THE NATURALIST IN BERMUDA. 



a handsome grey colour, we observed once at the edge of 

 the marsh below Verdmont. 



We may close our list of Arachnidans with a species of 

 Tick (Ixodida), which attacks cattle and dogs. 



' In our brief list of iasects we must not omit to notice 

 the occurrence of the Firefly (Lampyris) in Bermuda, on the 

 authority of our friend Mr. Hurdis, who kindly sends us the 

 following from his note-book. "August 14th, 1850. Wasvery 

 much surprised this evening (which is calm and dark) to see 

 a bright luminous spot moving through the atmosphere in 

 a somewhat undulatiag course towards the open windows 

 of my residence, on approaching which it rose towards the 

 eaves and disappeared. I immediately exclaimed, ' a firefly,' 

 and ran out of the cottage, with the view of watching its 

 movements ; it was not, however, to be seen." 



" The firefly of North America is familiar to me, and I 

 should certainly say is much smaller than the brilliant 

 insect so accidentally observed to-day, the phosphoric light 

 of which appeared to be delicately tinged with green. This 

 is the first instance of a firefly being seen ia'the Bermudas 

 that I am aware of The question will naturally arise, as to 

 whence, and in what manner it could have been introduced. 

 My own humble opinion leans to the probability of its 

 having been brought here from the West Indies, in the 

 many boxes of plants occasionally landed at these Islands. 



" Mr. Trimmmgham, of Hungry Bay, subsequently assured 

 me that he had more than once observed the firefly in Ber- 

 muda, and that its occurrence was beyond all doubt." 



