LUMINOUS INSECTS. 413 
have a more beautiful effect. Dr. Smith tells us that the 
beaus of Italy are accustomed in an evening to adorn 
the heads of the ladies with these artificial diamonds by 
sticking them into their hair; and a similar custom, as I 
have before informed you’, prevails amongst the ladies 
of India. 
Besides the different species of the genus Lampyris, 
all of which are probably more or less luminous, another 
insect of the beetle tribe, Zlater noctilucus, is endowed 
with the same property, and that in a much higher de- 
gree. This insect, which is an inch long, and about one- 
third of an inch broad, gives out its principal light from 
two transparent eye-like tubercles placed upon the thorax; 
but there are also two luminous patches concealed under 
the elytra, which are not visible except when the insect 
is flying, at which time it appears adorned with four bril- 
liant gems of the most beautiful golden-blue lustre: in 
fact, the whole body is full of light, which shines out be- 
tween the abdominal segments when stretched. ‘The 
light emitted by the two thoracic tubercles alone is so 
considerable, that the smallest print may be read by 
moving one of these insects along the lines; and in the 
West India islands, particularly in St. Domingo, where 
they are very common, the natives were formerly accus- 
tomed to employ these living lamps, which they called 
Cucuij, instead of candles in performing their evening 
household occupations. In travelling at night they used 
to tie one to each great toe; and in fishing and hunting 
required no other flambeau>.—Southey has happily intre- 
duced this insect in his “* Madoc” as furnishing the lamp 
4 Vor. J. 4th Ed. 314. 
> Pictro Martire, The Decades of the New Word, quoted inMadoc, 
p. 543. 
