To the Editor of the Scientific American:

In reading of the habits of the wading birds, and particularly of the crane, I do not find that naturalists give any account of their manner of attracting their prey at night. My attention was called to the matter while gigging for fish, by frequently observing dim phosphoric lights appear and disappear along the shore like jack o' lanterns, which I for a long time supposed them to be. Oh one occasion I fired at such a light, and brought down a large blue crane, on which the phosphoric spots were clearly visible after death. There are two such spots; the larger being high up on the breast and the smaller at the bottom of the breast bone, the bird having power to reveal and conceal them at will. I have since stuffed many of the water walkers, and find that all have the same general arrangement of the feathers, and, as I believe, the same power of lighting up the water to attract the fish. Will some naturalist who is posted on this subject please throw some further light upon it, for the benefit of science?

Isaac N. Worrall.

Topeka, Kansas.