The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1903-07-30


away: the keeper of Il lighthouse ON n
dangerous shore; the man who fa5hcs
from ship to ship or from ship to ltind
a beam of light, all afford interest ing
examples of the adaptation by map of
a remarkable signal language possessed
and employed by many animals That
are yoice,ess or without other MEANS
of Communication. That this language
will ever be translated or perfedftly
understood is very doubtful, but Ithe
fact that it is a language is sufficient lily
remarkable to those familiar wifi it
and who have watched the marve1bus
signals flashed across field and pasture
I'm the lands where the lishtgi1ers
live.
That light Is a signal the dou4ter
ran easily determine by taking oneI Of
the large beetles so common In The
South and holding it up to an open
window at night, when the signal Will
he answered by some free lShtgiyter,
who responds to the call and hovkrs
about with brilliant illumination. BE
Gently the writer watched the brilliant
luminous beetles in Texas. AS night
came on and the darkness became mpre
intense. flashes of light appeared here
and there, like diamonds against a
black sky, then al meteors flashing
across the field of vision, followed by
others, until q veritable rain of fire
appeared as a swarm of Iightglvers
darted in a given direction. 1t occurred
to some one to capture one OF these
lightgivers, and, as previously de-
scribed, expose it before an open Win
dow. as one would hold a lantern. 1t
was not long before the signal was an
swered; another l~ightgiver from out of
the darkness few toward it, demon
strating beyond question that the in
sect had signaled and had been an
swered.
The nature of these signals or flash
lights is not we'll understood, but In
variety, color, and power they are re-
markable. There are over fourteen
different species of Lampyrus which
possess this language of light, found
in the Southern States, on the Islan1s
of Cuba, Jamaica and Santo Dominic.
especially the latter, in all their beau
ty. Some appear to give a permanent
light; in others, it is fitful, all phasesof
change being observed. In these IL
sects the light is situated in the last
segments. and it is so powerful tint
when it is turned on" at full prs
sure the entire surface appears to nc
illumined, a blaze o. light. The lighs
differ in color. One beetle fiashes.a
CLEAN of rich orange when flying, Int
! under artificial light 1t appears to pe
, yellow. This is not constant, but h
: termittcnt like the fash Of a ligk-
house. In one known as Photuis
versicolor the light is a remarkable
imitation of some lighthouses.
: 1t appears as a minute spot, incres-
ing gradually in volume and beaut,
until it bursts forth in all its splendr
to gradually fade away and disappes,
being entirely under the control of tie
insect. This light is 4 brilliant greh,
and that it conveys some meanings
well shown by experiments. in with
the light was responded to by otlir
individuals. 1t might be assumed tilt
the lights are possessed by the ma,
alone, but such is not the case, b0t
sexes having them. In some the ligl-
emitting organs are larger in the mh
than in the female. Thus in the OF
l known as Photinus the light appeas
i, to cover all the lower or ventral Sc
; ments, from the fourth to fifth incl
sive. In the one known as Lampye
, the light in the female appears to }
d steady, while in the male it Is variabl
and at It's full development a splend
: brilliant green light.
The larva or imperfect form of son
of these insects is remarkable for i
lights, n having three-one upon Il
= head, one at the tail. and the third
: the base OF the head and prothorax-i
that from any position the little ere
i ture could exhibit its signal. There
n also a difference in the time of e.
posure. suggesting the heliograI
which flashes its signals. An observl
$ counted the flashes Of Luciola al
y found that there were thirty-six a mi.
d ute, each fash lasting about one-fouri
ar of Il second.
The insect collectors of Vera Cruz III
= derstand SO well that the lights al
u signals that they employ light to cal
ture the beetles. A burning coal
n fastened to the end OF a long sticl
|. which they wave to and fro, in a shol
time attracting the fire flies, which al
easily caught in a hand net. The lar,
est of these lightgivers is Pyrophoru
as and those observed by the writer emf
!. ted a wonderful green light, so vivl
that by holding it close to printed ma
~ ter the latter could be read. The ST
nails or lights are yellow spots ju
back of the eyes. while another llgl
CLEANS from the first abdominal Sc
Z ment. Even the eggs of this insect a
- luminous, emitting a blush light TIL,
the light has q definite meaning as
sign language of nature is shown
its almost universal presence among
Il large number of animals which cam
cd utter sounds. A certain centiped