The Portland daily press., 1894-12-15
LUMINOUS PLANTS.
Some of the Marvels of the Tropical
Forests.

That Science is Unable to Explain-Al-
legged Haunted Caves.
One of the early naturalists, Madame
Eierian l think, describes an extraor-
binary spectacle which she observed In
Asia Her party was moving through
forest at n right, when, without warning,
large light appeared. At first dim, 1T
increased in size, growing larger and
larger, until finally tree was outlined
in soft, pusating light, says writer
i'll the Washington Star
The natives were demoralized. and re-
fused to approach it, saying that 1t was
the sacred tree of fire. But the naturalist
had little faith in trees of fire, and in
vestigated it, finding that the light was
due to certain insects, which, by the way
have never been observed since. That
tree or plant could give light was deemed
aaigure of the imagination; yet today it
is known that light-giving plants are not
uncommon, and among the most striking
and remarkable of natural phenomena.
Once in returning from days hunt
through deep forest in the heart of the
Adirondack region I stumbled against
dead limb of tree, when to my amaze
ment was at once surrounded by Sill
yery light that few in all directions like
darts and arrows of fire, each piece burn
ing where it lay. This WAS an unusually
brilliant display of the best known OF
Ium nous plauts, the" fox fire, witches
eiown of childhood days. To the
layuaan it is often mysterious, as invest
igation shows nothing but the decayed
wood. and sometimes soft, pulpy mass.
The botanist Will soon point out the light
ejyer in the mycelium of some fungus
that has permeated the old branch,
and fairly taken possession OF 1t, CONVEX
ting it into glorious spectacle when
disturbed. The vividness of the light
may be estimated when it is known that
print can often be read by it, and the
light of some has been known to pene-
trate through several thicknesses of
paper.
LUMINOUS PLANTS.
Singular to say the smallest plant is
often the means of producing the great
est luminous effects. This is the noe
tiIuca which the naturalists of the Chal-
Ieuger found floating in the ocean in
vast numbers and some of the most re-
markable displays of light observed by
the naturalisGs were occasioned by these
little plants. But what shall we say
to a sight observed by a Norwegian bark
in the Bay Ct Funchal? The waters here
are fairly alive with these little lumi-
nous plants the year around. and on the
occasion referred to a water spout formed
among them. During the day it would
have attracted little attention, as the
phenomenon is common one, but the
crow of the ship were suddenly confront
ed at night by a literal pillar of fire or
light that extended upward to distance
seemingly of thousand feet, and moved
along with decided bend. 1t emitted
a pale yellow light and stood out in strong
relief against the black night, weird
and formida BILE spectacle, rushing on be-
fore tho wind.
In the legends of nearly all countries
there are burning bushes and similar
phenomena which can readily be traced
to luminous plants. One of these legends
from the northern part of Afghanlstan
states that there was certain spring
about or near which grew burning
plant which disappeared when anyone
approached. In 1915 the natives near
Simla were greatly alarmed by plant
which they said burned with fierce
glow at night on the mountain near
Syree-a light that came from plant
known as dictamnus.
An English naturalist wishing to as
tonish some natives in a wild part of
Asia in which he was travelling and
impress them with his supernatural pow
ers secured certain vine known as
euphorbia phosphorea, and rubbing it
upon big rock caused the latter to
CLEAN with flame and present SO remark
able spectacle that the natives ran, be-
lieving that he bad set the rock afire
by simply touching it. The naturalist
was aware that this milky juice of this
plant. that resem bled the dandelion,
was brilliantly phosphorescent
THE PHANTOM OF THE CAVE.
In the Harz mountains there has been
cavern, and volumes could be written
on the tales of ghosts and strange phan-
toms observed in and about it by the
peasantry. Finally an Englishman.trav
cling in the vicinity, and hearing of it,
determined to investigate the mystery,
and after much persuasion obtained two
ycung men to guide him to the haunted
cavern high among the mountains.
After long climb they reached the
cave, but nothing would induce she
guides to remain, SO the Englishman
took his station in the entrance and
waited until night. No sooner did COM
pIete darkness set in than the phantom
of the cave ap2eared-a remarkable sem
blance to human form, with arms out
, spread, outlined against the gloom. If
the truth be told the Investigator was
startled, but making his way to the
figure that had alarmed so many wood