New-York tribune., 1901-07-21
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WITH THE FIREFLIES.

boy always knows that summer is really
come he the first frehy flashing its
little light beneath the trees evening In
early June. These accommodating insects to
know how much interest the children take in
them. for they at all particular about their
surroundings and almost abundant in the
city as in the country. If only they have strip
of grass few trees. They more plentiful
In some seasons than In others and this is plainly
one or their good years for they are to be seen in
great numbers every pleasant evening
The common frehy or lightning bug. many call
IT. belongs to the great family OF beetles Although
often and easily caught this little fellow
should be held In much respect, for he manages to
veil himself in a certain kind of mystery. and IS
OF the insects whose life history is something
of puzzle TO the naturalist. This IS because. in
his larva caterpillar state he lives under ground
around the roots of plants within and about
the bark Of trees. where he can seldom be found
and studied. His flashing light too. is another
point which he battles science. Many learned
men have spent hours IN trying to discover what
is the exact nature OF his light and what It.
But no one has ever felt perfectly satisfied with
the result of this study. and clever firefy still
keeps his secret to himself
Boys who try 10 light match by the tail OF a
FREELY soon find that the light of the insect sheds
no heat and cannot burn. The hrefy keeps his
light in the lower part OF his body or abdomen
Our common frehy IN cities is one Of the
smallest of his kind but boys and girls in the
try even in the suburbs OF New-York have per-
haps a larger that gives a brighter light
than the other always sending its light In two or
three successive flashes. These love the woods and
their brownish larvae are quite luminous Push
aside the dry leaves at the edge OF a wood some
evening. and you may find these Iarvee crawling
about on their many feet and glowing with a soft
light on the dark ground. They probably feed on
roots and are not hard to catch. Mr Akhurst
Brooklyn naturalist. has found many of these
larvSe about Parkville and one New-Jersey man
lately saw the woods near his house all sparkling
at night with the large frefies which for some
reason had gathered there in unusual plumbers on
that night.
Some OF the largest and most interesting frefies
known those found in Cuba and Mexico which
feed chiefly the sugar the plantations
These from TO and a half inches long
and. unlike their Northern cousins. emit their light
from two spots on the thorax. upper part of
the body. They dusty brown in color and
do not fash as freely as the little fellows In this
country. who to do it kind OF play. but
throw the brightest light when they are ir-
ritated disturbed. Women put them in little
gauze nets and tie them in their hair wear them
their dresses ornaments. for the hrefiies, in
their anxiety to be free. struggle and flash con-
Wonderful stories are told OF these Cuban hre-
flies. Photographs said to have been taken
by their light. The historian. Moufret, tells that
satnr Of the sixTeenth century inst landed in the
West Indies, his party was suddenly alarmed IN
woods. ana thinking party OF hostile spaniards
had come upon them with torches. all fed in haste
to their ships. The Englishmen soon learned that
they had seen nothing but a host OF hreflies ana
had good laugh over their foolish fright II Is
also claimed that the West Indian freely gives a
light bright enough to read the finest print one
little girl who heard this at once supposed that
the hrefies could be set table like snaIi
lamp, while a person read easily beside them
This is not so. but those who read by their nSht
usually take several together. and even then they
must put them In q bottle or glass, which can De
held close TO the type In the dark woods at
night they are indeed beautiful sight, and well
worth travelling far TO we'll known natur-
sIst in this city says that occasions he
has caught OF these irehies on the COCKS
after some West Indian ship has come in: Tor they
are sometimes rrtcd about In the WOOD or oer6
OF a ships cargo. Although he cared tor ms
little waits as tenderly possible they soon oeo'
for they cannot live long in this climate