A natural history containing many not common observations extracted out of the best modern writers / by Sir Thomas Pope Blount, Baronet.

Observations concerning the GLO∣WORM.

HER Eyes (which are Two small black Points or Specks of Iett) are Pent-hous'd under the broad Flat Cap or Plate which co∣vers her head; which obscure Situ∣ation, together with their exceed∣ing exiguity, make them undiscern∣able to common Spectators. Yet in the Microscope they appear very fair, like black Polish'd Iett or Marble, Semi-globular, and all fo∣raminulous, or full of small but very curious Persorations, (as in com∣mon Flies.) Her two Horns are all joynted and degreed like the stops in the Germination of some Plants, as Horse-tail and Canes: Under which she hath two other small Horns or Pointers, of the same Stuff and fashion. If you take hold of her Horns, you may draw out her Eys, and cut them out, and so lay

them on your Object Plate and see them distinctly.

This is that Night-Animal with its Lanthorn in its Tail; that creep∣ing Star that seems to out shine those of the Firmament, and to ou••vye them too in this property especially; that whereas the Cele∣stial-Lights are quite obscur'd by the Int••rposition of a small Cloud, this Terrestrial-Star is more Enliven'd and Enkindl'd thereby, whose plea∣sant sulgour no Darkness is able to Eclipse. POWER's Microscop. Ob∣serv. Pag. 23, 24.

The Nature of the GLOWORM is hitherto not well Observ'd. Thus much we see, that they breed chief∣ly in the hotest Months of Summer; And that they breed not in the open Air, but in Bushes and Hedges. Whereby it may be conceiv'd, that the Spirit of them is very fine, and not to be refin'd, but by Summers Heats: And again, that by reason of the Fineness it doth easily exhale. In Italy, and the Hotter Countries,

there is a Flie they call Lucciole, that Shineth as the GLO-WORM does; and it may be is the Flying GLO-WORM. But that Flie is chiefly upon Fens and Marishes. But yet the Two former Observati∣ons hold; for they are not seen, but in the Heat of Summer; and Sedge or other Green of the Fens, give as good Shade, as Bushes. It may be the GLO-WORMS of the Cold Countries Ripen not so far as to be Wing'd. BACON's Nat. Hist.

The FLYING GLO-WORMS are in Italy every where to be seen in Summer Time. These Flying or Winged GLO-WORMS are no∣thing else but the Males of the Common Creeping or Unwing'd GLO-WORMS. Fabius Columna, relates, that Carolus Vintimiglia of Palermo in Sicily, having out of Curi∣osity kept many Unwinged GLO-WORMS in a Glass, did put in a∣mong them a Flying one, which presently in his Sight did Couple

with them one by one, after the manner of Silk-Worms; and that the next day the Vnwinged ones, or Fe∣males, began to lay their Eggs. That the Males are also Flying Insects in England, though they do but rarely or not at all shine with us, we are assured by an Eye Witness; who saw them in Con∣junction with the Common shining Vnwinged GLO-WORMS. Here by the way it may not be amiss to impart to the Reader a discovery made by a certain Gentleman, and Communicated to me by Francis Iessop Esq which is, that those re∣puted Meteors called in Latine Ignes Fatui, and known in England by the Conceited Names of Iack with a Lanthorn, and Will with a Wisp, are nothing else but swarms of these Flying GLO-WORMS. Which if true, we may give an easie account of those strange Phoenomena of these supposed Fires, viz. their sudden Motion from Place to Place, and leading Travellers that follow them

into Bogs and Precipices. IOH. RAY's Observat. Topograph. Pag. 409.410.

The Cicindela Volans, or Flying GLO-WORM, tho it hath been pretty well describ'd by several Writers that treat of Insects, yet I think has been by none menti∣on'd to be found in England, and indeed it is very rare, but I have happen'd to catch twice of them at Northaw in Hertford-shire; First about Midsummer 1680, and for a Fortnight in Iune 1684. they slew about the Candle as soon as it grew Dark; at both which times the Weather was very Hot, and it may be it Shines only at such Seasons, tho the Animal be easie enough to be met withall Winged when it Shines not, and without Wings shining, which is the Common GLO-WORM.

Aldrovandus affirms, Ovis quae parit Cicindela, Erucam quandam fieri, & ex hac tandem alatam gigni, &c. It is much to the same purpose

describ'd by Moufet and Thomas Bar∣tholin in his Treatise De luce Anima∣lium: Save that they both, I think, mistake in allowing the Male only to have Wings, whereas they both flie alike, as we may conclude was known to Iulius Scaliger, Exercit. 191, from a Place it seems not regarded, tho Cited by Moufet, where he says, Cicindelam Volantem cum suo M••r•• in Coitu deprehendi, &c. The same which happened to 〈◊〉〈◊〉, for I once caught the Male and F••••••l•• Coupl'd, and could Ob∣serve no difference between them, except in Size, the Female being a little the larger, for they both shined alike. Its Light was very Vivid, so as to be seen plainly when a Candle was in the Room, but the Vibrations thereof were unequal, and the Colour Greenish, like that of the Creeping GLO-WORM. The Luminous Part was two small Specks on the under si••e of the Tail at its end. The shinin•• continued for a little while

after the Tail was cut off, tho it sensibly decay'd, till at last it went quite out. Whether it shined longer than the life remain'd in that Part (which will live for a Considerable time in all Insects, after it has been sever'd from the Body,) I much doubt; and Moufet says, Clarissimum istum Splendorem unà cum Spiritu Vitali prorsus evanescere. Possibly the use of this Light is to be a Lantern to the Insect in catching its Prey, and to direct its Course by in the Night, which is made probable, by the Position of it on the under Part of the Tail, so that by bending the same downward (as I al∣ways observ'd it to do,) it gives a light forward upon the Prey or Object: The Luminous Rayes in the mean time not being at all incommodious to its sight, as they would have been, if this Torch had been carried before it. This Conjecture is also favour'd by the placing of the Eyes, which are on the under Part of the Head, not on the Top. I observ'd

also that it could, and did by some contrivance Cover its Light, and make a kind of Dark Lant∣horn.

This Insect appears to be of the Beetle kind; it is of a dark brown Colour unpolisht, when the Case Wings are open'd, it extends Two very large Membranous Wings, fast∣ned to the upper part of the Tho∣rax; its head is Cover'd as it we••e were with a Shield, or broad-brim'd Hat.

The Two Eyes under the broad Covering are black, and very large, making almost the whole Head; there being little else to be seen: these are Movable, so that the Ani∣mal can thrust them forward to the edge of its Hat. From between these are discover'd the Two hairy feelers, or perhaps Brushes to cleanse the Eyes. Between these Eyes and the Thorax lies the Mouth: On the Thorax are Six Legs almost all of a Length. The Tail is made of Seven Shelly Rings, at the

last of which are visible the Two Shining Points. RICHARD WAL∣LER Esq his Observ. PHILOS. TRANSACT. Numb. 167.

The Ingenious Mr. Iohn Templer, in his accurate Observations upon this Insect, one whereof he kept for some days in a Box, to enable him the better to make his Remarks, says, That he never saw her Shine without some Sensible Motion either in her Body or Legs; and that in her Clearest Shining she extends her Body a Third Part beyond its usual Length.

He further Observes, That, if his Senses fail him not, she emits a Sensible Heat in her Clear Shin∣ing. PHILOSOPH. TRANSACT. Numb. 72.

Wondrous things are promis'd from the GLOWORM; thereof Perpetual Lights are pretended, and Waters said to be distill'd, which af∣ford a Lustre in the Night; and this is asserted by Carden, Albertus, Gaudentinus, Mizaldus, and many

more. But hereto we cannot with reason assent; for the Light made by this Animal, depends upon a Living Spirit, and seems by some Vital Irradiation to be actuated into this Luster. For, when they are dead, they Shine not, nor always while they are alive, but are ob∣scure, or give Light, according to the Disfusion of this Spirit, and the Protrusion of their Lumino••s Parts, as Observation will instruct us. For this Flammeous Light is not over all the Body, but only visible on the inward side; in a small White part near the Tail. When this is full, and seemeth pro∣truded, there ariseth a Flame of a Circular Figure, and Emrald-Green Colour; which is more Discerna∣ble in any Dark place, than day; but when it falleth and seemeth con∣tracted, the Light disappears, and the Colour of that part only re∣mains. Now this Light, as it ap∣peareth and disappeareth in their Life, so doth it go quite out at their

Death. As we have Observ'd in some, which, preserv'd in fresh Grass, have Liv'd and Shin'd Eigh∣teen Days; but as they declin'd, their Light grew Languid, and at last went out with their Lives. BROWN's Vulg. Errors.