A fire-fly.
1797. This country at present has two species of Lightning Bugs.—Mass. Spy., Aug. 30. [Viz., fire-flies, and people who use fire carelessly.]
1806.
| Gleam then, like the lightning-bug, | |
| Tempt him to the den that’s dug | |
| For the foul and famish’d brood | |
| Of the she-wolf, gaunt for blood! | |
Moore, ‘Poems,’ p. 166, ‘Song of the Evil Spirit of the Woods.’ (N.E.D.) He probably picked up the word in America. |
1807. I spent a week in endeavoring to train a number of fire-flies and lightening bugs.—The Balance, Aug. 25, p. 268: from the Weekly Register.
1823. I noticed large luminous sparks of fire in the trees, which I found to be fire-flies, or, as they are here called lightning-bugs.—W. Faux, ‘Memorable Days in America,’ p. 64 (Lond.). (Italics in the original.)
1842. The beautiful firefly which abounds here, and fills the air with sparkling gems at night, is called by the uninviting name of “the lightning bug!”—J. S. Buckingham, ‘Slave States,’ ii. 132.
1844. I could think of nothing but Passampscot swamp, when brilliantly illuminated by “lightning-bugs.”—‘Lowell Offering,’ iv. 145.
1847. My repose was disturbed by a man in an adjoining room who in a fit of delirium tremens occasionally cried out at the top of his voice, ‘Gentlemen, I am the star of the universe and the lightning-bug of the world!’—Knick. Mag., xxix. 434 (May).
a. 1848. The feeble glow emanating from the tail-end of a lightning-bug.—Dow, Jun., ‘Patent Sermons,’ i. 90.
1850. Even the elegant fire-fly is called the lightning-bug, and ladies who have diamond beetles set in brooches, ask you to admire their beautiful bugs.—Lyell, ‘Second Visit to the U.S.,’ ii. 206. (N.E.D.)
a. 1853. It’s now you see it, and now you don’t see it, as the young lady said of the lightning-bug.—Dow, Jun., ‘Patent Sermons,’ iii. 50.
1854. With head-long speed he made frantically for a lightning-bug, and caught it, returned in triumph, placed the fusee of the cracker against the unfortunate brute, in his last extremity, and commenced blowing with great vigor. If that wasn’t the pursuit of pyrotechnics under difficulties we never heard of it.—Yale Lit. Mag., xix. 364 (Aug.).
1856.
| The river rolled, the crickets sing, | |
| The lightning-bug he flashed his wing, | |
| Then like a rope my arms I fling | |
| Round ROSE of Alabama. | |
Knick. Mag., xlvii. 200 (Feb.). |
1857. The phosphorescent flash of lightning bugs.—S. H. Hammond, ‘Wild Northern Scenes,’ p. 33.
1860. ‘Thompson!’ ‘Yessah!’ ‘What ’r you doing there?’ ‘Ketchin’ lightnin’-bugs fo’ de chillern, Sah.’—Knick. Mag., lvi. 296 (Sept.).
