LUMINOUS INSECTS. 415 
applied to purposes of decoration. On certain festival 
days, in the month of June, they are collected in great 
numbers, and tied all over the garments of the young 
people, who gallop through the streets on horses simi- 
larly ornamented, producing on a dark evening the effect 
of a large moving body of light. On such occasions the 
lover displays his gallantry by decking his mistress with 
these living gems*. And according to P. Martire, “many 
wanton wilde fellowes” rub their faces with the flesh ofa 
killed Cucuius, as boys with us use phosphorus, “with 
purpose to meet their neighbours with a flaming counte- 
nance, ” and derive amusement from their fright. 
Besides Llater noctilucus, E. ignitus and several others 
of the same genus are luminous. Not fewer than twelve 
species of this family are described by Illiger in the Berlin 
Naturalist Societys Magazine”. 
The brilliant nocturnal spectacle presented by these in- 
sects to the inhabitants of the countries where they abound 
cannot be better described than in the language of the poet 
above referred to, who has thus related its first effect upon 
the British visitors of the new world: 
ey ncsecssescseoecesseeSolrowing we beheld : 
The night come on; but soon did night display 
More wonders than it veil’d : innumerous tribes 
From the wood-cover swarm’d, and darkness made 
Their beauties visible : one while they stream’d 
A bright blue radiance upon flowers that closed 
Their gorgeous colours from the eye of day ; 
Now motionless and dark, eluded search, 
Self-shrouded ; and anon, starring the sky, 
Rose like a shower of fire.” 
4 Walton’s Present State of the Spanish Colonies, i. 128. 
> Tahrgang, i. 141. 
