OCR Text |
Show A GIANT FIREFLY. Used by the Natives or the West Indies as an I llumiiiiitor. - The great firefly clater noctiluetis is an inhabitant of the savannahs of most of the warmer parts of America and the West India islands. It is said to attain a length of eleven and a half inches. In the gloom of night, says All the Year Round, .these Hies are extremely ex-tremely luminous, and the effect is brilliant. The light chiefly proceeds from four parts, namely, from two glandular spots behind the eyes, and one under each wing. They have the power to cut off the light at will, in which case the glandular spots become perfectly opaque.- The light of this wonderful insect by itself is such that if the creature be held in the palm of the hand, print or manuscript is as easily read as by a candle. The aboriginal abo-riginal natives cage these creatures anil make use of them, it is alleged, as lanterns. lan-terns. Ladies adorn themselves with this electric-like luminary. It is related of Don Domingo Condc, of Colombia, that b" would arnica r on the evening promenade with a large firefly ornamenting the buckle of his broad hat, while a band of smaller luminous insects surrounded it. , The same Spaniard lighted his palace with fireflies in silver cages. The display-must display-must have been enchanting, for at one time the light is ruddy, then there is a change to golden yellow. It is stilted that when the Spaniards were about to land one of their expeditions against Mexico, a panic was eau:ed by these luminaries. The host of flitting lights on land was supposed to be an indication indi-cation of the enemy arousing their camp to resist the attack. When the English were attacking the West India islands the fireflies were taken to be a Spanish army advancing With burning matches against them, and the upshot was a hasty retreat to the ships. |