838 The Age of Forest Trees. [ September, 
Instances of extravagant stories of this kind are not uncommon 
in Brazil. The case of the sa/amandro already referred to is a 
good example. Another is that of a plant, a species of smilax, 
which is said to grow from the dead body of a Cicada. Belief in 
this story is so general that through some parts of the country a 
certain plant is popularly known as the japecanga da cigarra, or 
cicada smilax. Those who claimed to have actually seen this 
phenomenon represented that the plants seen by them were all 
quite young. Doubtless they were cases of larve killed by para- 
sitic fungoid growth.' 
Such stories come, of course, from imperfect observation, and 
have an air of truth about them derived from their association 
with known objects or facts. 
NoTE.—We are unable to find any reference in entomological works as to the 
poisonous nature of this insect, which is undoubtedly perfectly harmless. It 
is, however, disputed whether the insect is luminous or not. See Westwood’s Intro- 
duction to the Modern Classification of Insects, 11, 428, where after referring to his 
figure of the head of Fulgora lanternaria, he says it “is the part of the body 
asserted bel various writers to emit a strong light by Jae analogous to that of the 
PrE The account of the luminosity of this insect originated with Madam 
erian, but it:was denied by Olivier, in which opinion Hoffmansegg, the Prince Von 
DERM and Lacordaire concurred. “ M. Wesmael has recently reasserted the lumi- 
nous property.of the South American species on the authority of a friend who had wit- 
nessed it alive. And W. Baird, Esq., has informed me of the existence of a Chinese 
edict against young ladies keeping lantern flies.” In our Guide to the study of In- 
sects (p. tay is the following statement regarding the East African lantern fly : 
“Mr. Caleb Cooke, of Salem, who resided several years in Zanzibar, Africa, in- 
forms me tal the lantern fly is said by the natives to be luminous. They state that 
` the Sal snout lights up in the night, and is describing it say “its head is like a 
lamp ” (keetchua kana-tah).—4. S. Packar: 
AGE OF FOREST TREES. 
BY JNO. T. CAMPBELL. 
Toa age of trees that have an exogenous growth is correctly 
indicated by the concentric rings of growth shown in their 
cross-section. These rings also, when correctly interpreted give 
a true history of the tree from its infancy to maturity and old age; 
showing correctly the dates of prosperity and adversity in the 
_ Career of the tree, 
Comte Charles d'Ursel, in his Sud Amérique, figures and describes, after a fash- 
= “ Pinsecte qui devient pisate,” found i in Brazil. Speaking of the plant, he says 
3.4 
: r e co bleues, p. 107. 
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