Evening journal., 1896-12-14
they CARRY LIGHTS.
.UmlNous BIRDS THAT HUNTERS
HAVE DISCOVERED.


come Phosphorsscent Mt WIN.
A bolated sportsman returning from
a days sport found himself late in the
evening on the edge Of fat or marsh
which bordered the path. The moon had
not risen, and tho darkness was 30 in
tense that he was obliged TO move slowly
and carefully. AS he walked along, gun
on shoulder, he thought he saw mum
Der Of lights, some moving others sta
tionary. AS they were in tho river bed.
he knew that they could not be lanterns,
and for some timo he was puzzled; but
being Of an inquisitiye mind he walked
down to the water TO investigate As
the stream was slow running, shallow
one, he had no difficulty in wading in,
and soon convinced himself that the
lights wero not carried by men, and
were either ignes fatui or from some
cause unknown. To settle the apparent
mystery he crept as close as he could,
took careful aim and fired. AT the dis
charge the lights disappeared; but, keep
ing his eye on the spot where they had
been he walked quickly to it, and
found, TO his amazement, night heron
rpon whose breast cleaned the mysteri-
GUS light. The sportsman told me Of
this incident, and, while had often
heard of the light on the heron's breast
never before could find any one who
had personally witnessed the phenome-
non; consequently propounded numer-
Gus questions Tho observer saw the
light distinctly; first. at a distance OF
at least 90 yards, or 100 feet. There
were three lights upon each bird-one
upon each side between tho hips and
tail and one upon the breast. He saw
the lights of at least four individuals,
and was so interested that he observed
them all carefully, and rs TO their in
tonsity stated to mo that each light was
tho equivalent Of two candles, so that
when he aimed he could see the gun
sight against it.
AS to whether the bird had control Of
the light, he believed that it did, as he
saw the lights open and shut several
times as he crawled toward the bird
and he stopped when tho light disap-
pearod and orcpt on when it came
again. The light did not endure long
after the bird was shot, fading away
almost Immediately. In color tho light
was white and reminded him Of phos-
phorescent wood.
Stories of luminous birds have been
related by sportsmen occasionally, but,
so far as l know, exact facts and data
have never before boen obtained on this
most interesting and somewhat sensa-
tional subject. A friend in Florida told
me that he had distinctly seen a light
moving about in a flock of cranes al
night and became satisfied that the
light was upcn tho breast Of IA bird.
Another friend informed me that on On
tering heron rookery at night he ha,
distinctly observed lights moving abou
among the birds.
That herons have a peculiar possible
light producing apparatus is wei
known. These arc called powder down
patches and can be found by turning IL
the long feathers on tho hcrcn's Ircact,
where viii DC icurd patch of yellow,
greasy material that sometimes dropl
off or fills tho feathers in tho form Of Z
yellow powder. This powder is pro
ducod by the evident decomposition o.
the small feathers. producing Just sucl
a substance rs one might expect woulC
become phosphorescent, as there is littl'
doubt that it does
The cranes and hcrons are not Tho
only birds having these oily lamps, if S,
we may term them. A Madagascar bird
called hrumbo, has a large patch on
each side Of the rump. The bittern
have two pairs Of patches. the true her
ons three, while the curious boat bill
have eight, which, if at times all lu
minous, would give the bird mos
conspicuous, not to say spectral, appear
ance at night.
Some years ago a party of explorer
entered large cave on the island O
Trinidad that had hitherto been consid
cred inaccessible. To their astonishmen
they found it filled with birds which
darted about in the dark in such mum
bers that they struck the explorers anC
rendered their passage not merely dis
agreeable. but dangerous. The bird
proved to be night hawks. known as OF
birds, and in great demand for tho OF
they contain, and it is barely possible
that these birds arc also light givers
The powder down patches Of the OF
bird are upon each side of the rump.
As to the use Of such lights TO a bir,
there has been much conjecture, but i
is thought that it may be lure TO at
tract fishes. Thus il is well known tina
fishes and various marine animals ar
attracted by light. and a heron standing
motionless in the water, the light from
its breast, if equal TO two candles
would be plainly seen for a considerable
distance by various kinds Of fishes, VIII
wonld undoubtedly approach within thi
reach Of the eagle eye and sharp bill o
the heron and so fall victims to thei
curiosity. II this is a true solving Of thu
mystery il IS one Of the most remark
able provisions Of nature.
There Is hardly a group of animal
that does not include some light eiyer
Of great beauty; but il is not general.
known that some Of tho higher animal