14 



HEMIPTERA. 



sidered as a striking example of the entomological riches of a country hitherto 

 scarcely known, the interior of Indostan. It was originally brought from India by 

 the late Governor Holford, and is now in the possession of the author. He has 

 sought in vain for this species in other cabinets of exotic insects, and ventures to 

 deem his specimen unique." 



Donovan, adopting the opinion of the luminosity of the Fulgora, then proceeds : 

 — " In the course of our remarks on the Fulgora so abundant in China, F. candelaria, 

 our attention was naturally directed to the astonishing property some insects of this 

 genus are known to possess, that of emanating light; and it was to this insect we 

 alluded in particular, when speaking of one from interior India, that enabled us to 

 extend our observations on that property. The trunk is large, of a dark purple, 

 thickly sprinkled with spots of white phosphoric powder, and the apex, which is 

 scarlet, and somewhat pellucid, still retains a reddish glow, that almost convinces us 

 the creature when living could diffuse light both from the apex and the spots. In 

 admitting this conjecture, without wandering into the marvellous, its nocturnal 

 appearance must be infinitely more singular than either of the known species of 

 Fulgorse, Lampyrides, or any other luminous insect yet discovered, for, when on the 

 wing, the illuminated apex would resemble a globule of fire, or heated iron, and the 

 numberless phosphoric spots on the tube form a train of glittering stars to accom- 

 pany it.* 



" The only figure of a Fulgora in any respect resembling this species is given in 

 the works of Stoll, under the title of De Groote Groene Coromandelische Lantaarn- 

 drager ;f but among other evident specific distinctions we need only notice the 

 structure of the trunk, which is altogether different, being much recurved, and 

 tapering gradually from the base to an acute point at the apex : its colour is also an 

 olive black." 



* " As it may be thought improbable that any insect can exhibit such an extraordinary appearance, the 

 words of Olivier on some species of Lampyrides may not be unsatisfactory. The insects are certainly very 

 distinct, but reports of travellers countenance an opinion that the phosphoric emanations are analogous in 

 the species of both genera. 'The phenomena produced by a natural phosphorus is still more wonderful in 

 some foreign species, in which the males shine, and being provided with wings, will produce in their rapid 

 flight a thousand small stars.' — Olivier, Histoire des Insectes." 



f " PL 26, fig. 143. Green lantern-carrier fly of Coromandel. — At the conclusion of the description, Stoll 

 says, ' hi de N ederlandsche Kabinetten, &c. &c.' — ' This insect was not known in the cabinets of the low 

 countries till within three years, [anno 1780,] during which time a few were brought from Tranquebar, on 

 the Coromandel coast, to the cabinet of natural curiosities of his Highness the Stadtholder of the United 

 Provinces, of which I have been obligingly permitted to take the figure of a female by Mons. Yosmar, to 

 whom I owe my public acknowledgments for it.' — 09 tab. 26." 



