The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-27
FIRE FLIES.
HOW the Mexican bellies AdOrn Them
selves.

With the night d deeper shade falls over the
city; but one 80 slightly Opaque that It only
softens its contour without effaeing 1t. Night
IN Vera Cruz Is even more beautiful than the
day. The moon sheds its soft radiance over
the streets with no niggardly hand. Il ligl,ts
IN the dull houses and sombre facades LII d
way almost magical; the uplifted bell-towers
and tinted cupolas seem TO rush skyWard In
ulad relief The very wallis become Hentient,
and the pale palace front catches up the
pea rly-green tones from the foliage about II.
from the altar lilies sweeps out Into the high
ways. The people IN the streets seem fresh
and dewy and holy az Raphaels angels. The
life Of the city grows more Intense The
ground AoorB become the place OF rendezvous
er n ths i family a snd frsnd MY Every d
stranger can, In manner Join In the merri-
ment. The throng under, the arcades and
upon the pavements ID always changing and
ever In motion. In the more unpretentious
streets, the homes Of the sovereign people,
oan be- seen the play of the lovers repeated on
y smaller scale, There 1t is the poblana, In
place of the high-bred dame, that Ii the
oynosure and belle OF the night. Standing
In the low window fronting on the street, or
IN the open doorway OF the single-story
male admirers. She has discarded the reboza
which coneeals her glowing charms by day,
and gives way to q certain abandon Of mani
ner, born 81 the June climate and the soft
twilight The olive-tinted epidermis OF her
arms and shoulders contrast prettily with the
snow-white chemise and variegated colors Of
pettlcoat and sash. Occasionally the tight-fit-
Ing Andalusian bodice u seen, but for the most
part the bust liz covered with the loose semi
transparent chemise alone. Considered artis-
tically the poblana ID q far more picturesque
figure than the stately dame Of the housetop:
while neither In point Of beauty nor iii taste-
fulness uf attire does she suffer by compare
son. Like all the daughters Of the tropics
SHE has an Unsuitable passion for adornment,
fusion Of brisht-colored flowers ii her hair,
ora sparkling cocuyo, the brilliant FREELY Of
the tropics The latter species OF ornament ID
much affected by the bellies OF the lower
orders, though not ON that account hanished
outrivals that Of diamonds, becoming brighter
as thetwtlight increases, until In the darkness
of the night, Ii shines brilliant az Ras.jet.
This grand freely (Which Mayne Reid has
described 70 well that one must pilfer from
iishtnins. b big u t6e United States ID ths
mere farthin9, dip, II found along large
pat OF the Gulf coast. 1t ID seldom seen In
swarms, but only Id twos and threes, ttB most
com mon resort being the fields of sugar cane,
Following the habits Of other night beetles,
II Is difficult to catch, and 30 becomes a mar
ketabIe commodity, being exposed for sale
with other wares by the Indian. The coeuyo
presents much the appearance Of the ordinary
beetle, an inch or more In length, OF glossy
brown color. Its brilliant sparkle liz derived
from eye-like spots, the size OF large shot, mp
pearing like globes OF fire, and from broad
disc Of phoEphorescence upon Its abdomen
when 1t spreads Its wings In flight. OF such
illuminating power Ia 1t that with three or
four cocuyos placed under an inverted tum-
bier one may read the smallest type; while
with one held In the fingers the dial Of
q watch may be consulted In the darkest
night as satisfactorily as by the light Of q
cigar. AS az ornament they are used princt-
pally on the hair, though often arranged also
upon the skirt Of the dress. A small loop
nishes the means by which the insect may be
inconvenience from the process except that Of
being confined. 1t Is, OF course, the living
beetle that Is thus confined; when dead the
freely leoses Its phoephoric brilliancy. TO
pass for q gem oil the first water 1t must not
only be alive but tn good health. To this end
1t Is kept In q small casket, like any other
jewel. q casket made OF sugar cane, and liz
generally fed by the fair creatures of whose
trousseau 1t forms part. It's usual food liz
the juice Of the sugar-cane, small pieces of
which, freshly peeled, are placed from time
In Its cage. In the evening it Ia taken out OF
Its casket, impaled upon a long pin and ar
ranged In the plat OF the hair In such posi-
ton that Its cleaning lamps can be fully
seen. No empress In her tiara OF diamonds
can exceed the hriliancy of o poblana with
wreath Of cocuyos sparkling from.her purple
black hair.