The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-14
SIGNAL LIGHTS BY
 FISH AND BEETLES
On Land and Sea Luminous Flashes Serve as Language
SOME CURIOUS FIX IMPLIES
Entire Bodies of Certain Insects Glow While in Other Cases Eyes Alone Shine to Give
 Various Signals.


 lighted lantern high in the air, sending a definite message to the engineer sev- eral hundred yards away; the keeper of a lighthouse on a dangerous shore; the man who flashes from ship to ship or from ship to land beam of light, all afford interesting examples of the adap- tation by man of a remarkable signal language possessed and employed by many animals that are voiceless or with out other means of communication, says the Philadelphia Public Ledger. That this language will ever be translated or perfectly understood is very doubtful, but the fact that 1t Is a language is suffi- ciently remarkable to those familiar with 1t and who have watched the marvellous signals flashed across field and pasture in the lands where the lightgiyers live.
 That light is signal the doubter can easily determine by taking one of the large beetles so common in the south and holding 1t up to an open window at night, when the signal will be answered by some free light-giver, who responds to the call and hovers about with brilliant illumination. Recently the writer watched the brilliant luminous beetles in Texas. As night came on and the dark ness became more intense, flashes of light appeared here and there. like dia- monds against black sky, then as me- teors flashing across the field of vision, followed by others. until a veritable rain of fire appeared as a swarm of light givers darted in a given direction. It oc cured to some one to capture one of these light-givers. and, as previously de- scribed, expose 1t before an open window, as one would hold a lantern. It was not long before the signal was answered; an- other light-giver from out of the dark ness flew toward it, demonstrating be- yond question that the insect had sig naled and had been answered.
 Like . Lighthouse.
 The nature of these signals or fash lights Is not well understood, but in va- riety, color and power they are remark able There are over fourteen different species of Lampyrls which possess this language of light, found in the southern states, on the islands of Cuba, Jamaica and San Domingo, especially the latter in all their beauty. Some appear to give a permanent light; in others 1t is fitful all phases change being observed. In these insects the light is situated in the last segments, and 1t is so powerful that when 1t is turned on" at full pressuref the entire surface appears to be illdn- ined, a blaze of light. The lights differ in color. One beetle fiashes n 'gieam of rich orange when flying but under arti- ficial light 1t appears osbe yellow. This is not constant but Intermittent. like the flash of a lighthouse. In one known as the Photnus versicolor the light is a re- markable imitation of that of some light houses.
 It appears as minute spot increasing gradually in volume and beauty, until 1t bursts forth in all its splendor to grad ually fade away and disappear, being tirely under the control of the insect This light is a brilliant green and that 1t conveys some meaning Is well shown by experiments, in which the light was re- sponded to by other individuals. It might be nsenmed that the lights are possessed by the male alone, but such is not the case, both sexes having them. In some the light emitting organs are larger in the male than in the female Thus in the one known as Photinus the light ap- pears to cover all the lower or ventral segments from the fourth to the fifth in- elusive. In the one known as Lampyre the light in the female appears to be steady. while in the male 1t Is variable, and at It's full development a splendid brilliant green light.
 The larva or imperfect form of some of these insects Is remarkable for It's lights, one having three-one upon the head one at the tail and the third at the base of the head and prothorax-so that from any position the little creature could exhibit its signal. There is also a difference in the time of exposure, sug- gesting the heliograph which flashes its signals. An observer counted the flashes of Luciola and found that there were thirty-six a minute. each flash lasting about one-fourth of a second.
 Signals to Capture Beetles.
 The insect collectors of Vera Cruz un- derstand so well that the lights are sig nals that they employ light to capture the beetles. A burning coal is fastened to the end of long stick which they wave to and fro, in a short time attract ing the firehies, which are easily caught in hand net. The largest of these light givers is Pyrophorus. and those ob- served by the writer emitted a wonder ful green light. so vivid that by holding 1t close to printed matter the latter could be read The signals or lights are yell low spots just back of the eyes while another light gleams from the first ab- dominal segment. Even the eggs of this insect are luminous, emitting a bluish light. That the light has a definite mean ing as sign language of nature is shown by It's almost universal presence among a large number of animals which cannot utter sounds. A certain centi- pede, often caught by the writer has a light at it's head and one at it's tail, which gleam like emeralds. The insect is almost invisible to the naked eye. vet so brilliant Is the light emitted by several that the observer would almost think that the grass where they lie was afire i Among the crabs lights are very com mon. In some the light pervades the en- tire body; again, it is confined to the eyes or the legs, or certain segment The little Cyclops and Idotea are in- stances In another the yellow green light is in the eye, the animal seeing the signaling with these organs. One of the star fishes is a blaze of light, literally fiery star: not constant, but steady from one portion to the other seemingly at will, until the active animal blazes out as a star of fire.
 Some worms have strange lights In some the light emitting organs are the feet, and several worms have lights of different colors. One of the fishes has two lights upon its head, one green, the other yellow, and that these strange beams do not have special meaning or significance in the life of these creatures it is difficult to imagine
 
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