the rats
immediately scampered off."[115] These observations are confirmed by
Captain Briant, as reported by Professor R. Dubois.[116] In tropical
regions luminous insects give out a brilliant light, of which the
Glow-worms of northern countries can only give a feeble idea. These
flying or climbing stars are the constellations of virgin forests. In
South America the Indians utilise one of these insects, the _Cucujo_,
by fastening it to the great toe like a little lantern, and profit by
its light to find their road or to preserve their naked feet from
snakes. The first missionaries to the Antilles, lacking oil for their
lamps, sometimes replaced them by Fire-flies to read matins by.[117]
The _Melicourvis baya_ had already discovered this method of lighting,
and the mysterious little balls of clay were nothing more than
candlesticks in which these birds set Glow-worms, when they are fresh,
to act as candles. The entrance to the nest is thus luminous. (Fig.
44.) Apparently this lighting up is a defensive measure, for the birds
have nothing to do at night except to sleep, and must be rather
incommoded than cheered by this light. But the terrible enemy of all
broods, the Snake, is, it is said, frightened by this illumination,
which is able to penetrate the meshes of the nest, and will not dare
to enter. The system is ingenious, and the Roman Emperors, when they
used burning Christians as torches, were only plagiarising from this
little bird, which paves with martyrs the threshold of its house of
love.

[115] "Notes on the Indian Glow-fly," _Nature_, 23rd June 1881.

[116] _Science et Nature_, t. iv. (1885), No. 94, p. 232.

[117] P. Dutertre, _Hist. des Antilles francaise_, 1667.

CHAPTER VIII.

CONCLUSION.

DEGREE OF PERFECTION IN INDUSTRY INDEPENDENT OF ZOOLOGICAL
SUPERIORITY--MENTAL FACULTIES OF THE LOWER ANIMALS OF LIKE
NATURE TO MAN'S.

_Degree of perfection in industry independent of zoological
superiority._--As the result of our study we see the fundamental
industries of Man dispersed throughout the animal kingdom, though not,
indeed, all of them, nor the more subtle, which were only born
yesterday. We may remark the extent to which intellectual
manifestations of this sort are independent of the more or less
elevated rank assigned to species in zoological classification. The
latter, as it should be, brings together or separates beings according
to their physical character. But inte