Note on the Lantern Fly of Honduras. 103 
three luminous spots, one on each side of the head part, on the 
upper part (like a cat's staring eyes), of a heautiful sulphur- 
coloured light, in rays that spread over the room. The third 
luminous spot is seen when the fly is on its back, half way 
down the abdominal part of the insect. When quiescent, the 
lumination is least ; in daylight the upper spots are nearly 
white, emitting no light whatever (its lively time is at twi- 
light). Immediately on being agitated, or moving about, the 
spots become sulphur colour, and radiate forth streams of light, 
clearly seen, although the sun be shining into the room, as it 
now does at the moment I write, with the creature in the glass 
tumbler before me. We put out the lights, and to test the 
power of the fly, I took up my psalm-book and read two verses 
of Psalm cix. Mr Kobert Gegg also took up a book at random, 
and read by its light. I hope this will satisfy all that the 
lantern-fly is indeed luminous." He had also a letter from 
Dr John Young, Belize, kindly off^ering to make any observa- 
tions the Society might desire. A published statement, in 
the " History of the West Indies," by R. M. Martin, 1837, 
vol. ii. p. 104, being vol. v. of British Colonial Library, corro- 
borating the truth of the lantern-fly being luminous, was ako 
referred to. 
III. (1.) Notice of a Fosdl Nautilus from the Isle of Sheppr/. By 
James M'Bain, M.D., R.N. 
Dr M'Bain said, that the specimen of a fossil nautilus which 
he exhibited to the Society was obtained from the Isle of 
Sheppy, along with other fossil remains, and presented to 
him by his friend i)r Easton, of H.M.S. Pembroke. Before 
placing the specimen in the public museum of Edinburgh, 
which, under the present energetic management, was rapidly as- 
suming a highly scientific character, he considered it advisable 
to give a short description of the state of preservation of the 
shell, and the locality whence it was derived. The species 
agreed with the description of the Nautilus Sowerhyi, given 
in a monograph of the Eocene Mollusca, by F. E. Edwards, and 
published by the PaliBontographical Society. The specimen 
he exhibited was seven inches in diameter by four inches 
across, measured from one umbilictil space to the other. It 
