CHAPTER IX.

LANTERN-FLIES.

When Sir Charles Lyell visited this country some years ago, he expressed much interest in the sea-serpent question; and one of his first inquiries, when introduced to a certain gentleman, was, “Have you heard any thing about the sea-serpent?” The reply was, “Unfortunately I have seen it.”

If Mme. Merian were alive, and a similar question should be propounded to her regarding the luminosity of the South-American lantern-fly, she could with propriety make a like response. She makes a definite and distinct statement concerning the phosphorescence of the _Fulgora lanternaria_, yet to-day it is declared non-luminous by nearly all scientists.

It is not our intention to champion the cause of this enthusiastic naturalist; but to some it would seem that the direct evidence of a single observer of good repute should have some weight against an indefinite number who merely failed to corroborate the observation. In the chapter on luminous plants, an almost similar instance is given, where for years the direct statement of the daughter of Linnæus regarding the luminosity of a plant was doubted by scientific men, until finally a well-known botanist confirmed it. To some it would seem possible that the _Fulgora_ emits light only at certain times, and under peculiar conditions; be this as it may, scientific opinion is entirely against its luminosity, and the light in the figure of _Fulgora lanternaria_ (Plate XII.) is introduced merely to show its supposed appearance according to the description of Mme. Merian and her supporters. The question is so interesting, and so typical of many that arise, that we introduce the opinions of the various authorities upon the subject.

The two most interesting species come from China and South America,--_Fulgora candelaria_ from the former, and _F. lanternaria_ from the latter. The Asiatic species is the smallest, measuring about two inches in length, and noticeable for the peculiar horn-like projection on the head, supposed to be the luminous organ. Its colors are rich and attractive; the head and proboscis, as we may call it, being a fine reddish brown, apparently dotted here and there with white specks. The thorax is a deep yellow hue; the body, black above, and yellow beneath. The wings are still more striking,--the upper pair dark, with many green reticulations, that divide the entire surface into many minute squares, yellow spots being scattered here and there; the under wings are orange with black tips.

The _Fulgora lanternaria_ of South America is nearly three inches and a half in length from the tip of the head to the extremity of the tail, and about five inches and a half broad with its wings expanded. The body is of a lengthened oval shape, sub-cylindric, and divided into several rings or segments; while the head is distinguished by a singular prolongation, which sometimes equals the rest of the body in size. The general color is yellow, variegated with many brown stripes and spots. The wings are large and powerful; the lower pair ornamented with a large eye-spot, well shown in the accompanying figure; the iris or border being red, while the centre is half red and half white, rendering it a very conspicuous object. The remarkable extension of the head--or lantern, as it has been called--is pale yellow, ornamented with longitudinal red stripes. In this projection the luminous property of the lantern-fly is said to exist.

In Mme. Merian’s work on the insects of Surinam, she says, “The Indians once brought me, before I knew that they shone at night, a number of these lantern-flies, which I shut up in a large wooden box. In the night they made such a noise that I awoke in a fright, and ordered a light to be brought, not knowing from whence the noise proceeded. As soon as we found that it came from the box, we opened it, but were still much more alarmed, and let it fall to the ground in a fright, _at seeing a flame of fire_ come out of it; and as many animals as came out, so many flames of fire appeared. When we found this to be the case, we recovered from our fright, and again collected the insects, highly admiring their splendid appearance.”

Such a statement naturally attracted attention; and, from its publication until the present, collectors have endeavored to substantiate it. Count Hoffmansegg states that his insect collector Sieber, who was a practical entomologist of thirty years’ experience, took many specimens of _F. lanternaria_ in Brazil, but never saw one emit light. The Marquis Spinola, in the annals of the “Entomological Society of France,” vol. xiii., contends for the luminosity of the entire tribe. On the other hand, M. Richard succeeded in raising a species of _Fulgora_, but failed to observe the light; while M. Westmael assures us that a friend of his observed the luminosity.

John C. Branner, Ph.D., states that when in South America he was often informed that it was luminous, but never could find any one who had personally seen the light. Snr. Luiz A. A. de Carvalho, jun., of Rio de Janeiro, who had fine specimens in his cabinet, assured him that he knew of no evidence whatever that they produced light. In the article on phosphorescence in the last edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, Mr. William E. Hoyle, F.R.S., of the “Challenger” expedition, apparently accepts the _Fulgora_ as a light-giver; as he says, “Whilst the lantern-flies, _Fulgoridæ_, carry their light at the extremity of a long, curved proboscis.” Professor P. Martin Duncan writes, “It is doubtful if the _Fulgora_, so often described in books as the lantern-fly, has a scarlet light, if any at all.”

The _Fulgora_ is not remarkable for its supposed light alone; as in Brazil, where it is called _Gitiranaboia_, etc., it is considered by some natives to be extremely deadly. Mr. John C. Branner, of the Indiana University, investigated the subject, and found that the natives believed that the long proboscis was the poisonous organ; and that when this struck any animal, no matter how large or powerful, the latter immediately dropped dead. Even a distinguished Brazilian engineer assured Mr. Branner of the truth of the stories, saying that monkeys were often seen to fall dead from trees along the Amazon, killed by the deadly _Gitiranaboia_; and a local paper reported the fact that these insects were destroying cattle in the southern provinces. At Parà, Mr. Branner was assured that a child died in great agony after being stung by one. It is needless to say that the lantern-fly is perfectly harmless, and its poisonous properties as mythical as modern science deems its light.

Concerning the Chinese and African species, there is the same conflict of opinion. Dr. Phipson, an eminent authority on phosphorescence, evidently accepts them as luminous; as, in referring to the proboscis, he says, “It is from these appendages, the sides of which are transparent, that the phosphoric light appears;” and in mentioning _Fulgora candelaria_, he says, without giving his authority, “It is said, also, that the trunk of a tree covered with numerous individuals of _F. candelaria_, some in movement, others in repose, presents a very grand spectacle, impossible to describe, but which may be witnessed sometimes in China.” Dr. Donovan, in his “Insects of India,” figures the _Fulgora pyrrhorynchus_; and Phipson states, “It is said to emit a light of a fine purple color. Donovan evidently had some reason for believing that they emitted light, as he represents them in the act.”

In “Packard’s Guide,” there occurs the following reference to the light of an East-African _Fulgora_: “Mr. Caleb Cooke of Salem, who resided several years in Zanzibar, Africa, told me that the lantern-fly is said by the natives to be luminous. They state that the long snout lights up in the night, and in describing it say, its head is like a lamp (_keetchwa kand-tah_).” According to William Baird, Esq., there is an edict in China against young ladies keeping lantern-flies. Altogether, the question is quite in keeping with the mystery that surrounds the entire subject of animal phosphorescence.

One of the classes into which the insects are divided is termed _Myriopoda_, from the fact that the individuals which compose it are supplied with a seemingly endless number of locomotive organs. The centipedes and millepedes, “hundred” and “thousand legs,” are the names by which they are most commonly known. The body is long and cylindrical in the genus _Geophilus_, being made up of from thirty to two hundred segments, each bearing a pair of short feet. In the Eastern States _Lithobius Americanus_, Wood., is perhaps the most familiar form, and often found under old logs.

Some of the centipedes are very poisonous. Such a one is _Scolopendra heros_, Girard., the poison being stored in two enormous fangs. In Southern California I have found extremely large specimens of this genus. In the East Indies _Scolopendra gigantea_, Linn., attains a length of nine inches, and is a most repulsive appearing creature, and so dreaded that the most extravagant stories are told as to its power. A native informed me, who evidently believed his statement, that a man died near him from having one merely walk over him. The bite is undoubtedly poisonous, as is that of many of our common spiders; but I never could find an authentic case where it had resulted fatally.

As hideous as they are in certain parts of South America, a huge species, which attains a length of a foot, is eaten; the native children, according to Humboldt, tearing off the heads, and devouring the remainder with evident enjoyment.

There are about eight hundred species of _Myriapods_, and among them is one, the _Geophilus electricus_ of Europe, that is positively luminous; though Phipson, referring to them as _Scolopendræ_, gives two luminous species, _S. electrica_, Linn., of Europe, and _S. phosphorea_ of Asia. Specimens of the former, observed in fields at night, have been compared to minute pieces of red-hot coal, so vivid was the light. Probably the finest spectacle of the luminosity of these insects was observed by M. Audouin, at Choissy-le-Roi, near Paris. Noticing a light upon the ground in a chiccory field, he ordered his man to turn up the earth, when the scene that followed is described as truly magnificent. The soil appeared as if it had been sprinkled with molten gold, the display being intensified if the insects were trodden upon or rubbed; in the latter case, streaks of light appeared, as if a bit of phosphorus had been placed upon the hands, the light being distinctly visible for twenty seconds.

The _Geophilus electricus_ (Plate XIII., Fig. 2) is a small, inconspicuous insect, about an inch and a half in length, and one tenth of an inch in diameter. Like others of its kind, it lives in holes in the ground, and, when discovered, makes off rapidly by the use of its one hundred and forty legs. The interesting fact that the luminous secretion could be separated from the insect was originally noticed by Macartney seventy years ago, who found that the fluid, as he terms it, could be communicated by the centipede to every portion of its integument. This author also claims that the insect is only luminous after exposure to the sun,--a peculiarity that is found in certain minerals described in a later chapter. The most remarkable exhibition of the luminosity of these insects has been recorded by Mr. B. E. Brodhurst, who saw it first twenty paces away, so vivid was its display. The light looked like moonlight, so bright was it through the trees. “It was a dark night, warm and sultry. Taking a letter, I could read it. It resembled an electric light, and proceeded from two centipedes and their trails. The light illuminated the entire body of the animal, and seemed to increase its diameter three times. It flashed along both sides of the creature in sections, there being about six from head to tail between which the light played. The light behaved precisely like the electric light; moving, as it were, perpetually in two streams, one on each side, and yet lighting up the whole body. The trail extended one and a half feet from each centipede over the grass and gravel walk, and it had the appearance of illuminated mucus. On securing one of the creatures for examination, I found, on touching it, the light was instantly extinguished.” This observer says that this phenomenon was frequently seen by others about his place.

Mr. Brodhurst continues, “Professor Flower identified the centipede as _Geophilus subterraneus_. The published descriptions of the luminous properties of British centipedes differ considerably from what I observed in this instance; the latter attributing light to the creatures only when disturbed. I was never able to induce my centipede to shine while in captivity.”