52 



ZOOLOGY 



a 



another and a well-known family. They are distinguished 

 by soft wing-like elytra and by the great expanse of the 



thoracic shield, which 

 partly or wholly covers 

 the head. Certain non- 

 luminous species live on 

 flowers, especially the 

 golden-rod ; the lumi- 

 nous species are noctur- 

 nal. The light-giving or- 

 gan lies in the abdomen. 

 The larv?e also are lumi- 

 nous and are known as 

 glow-worms (Fig. 53). 

 A family of consider- 



FIG. 53. -- Photuris, a firefly. , larva; - . 



b, adult. The lines to the left of figures able economic import- 

 represent actual lengths of animals. From ince j s that of the TenC- 

 Packard. . 



briomdae, so called from 

 the principal genus Tenebrio, 1 the 

 larva of which, known as the meal- 

 worm, occurs in flour and cereals 

 and looks much like a wire-worm. 2 

 The adult beetle is black and about 

 one-half an inch long (Fig. 54). 

 The family is not abundant in the 

 northeastern part of the United 

 States. 



i i i f i i^ i ,1 FiG.54. Tenehrio, the meal- 

 Several kinds Ot adult beetles worm Left, larva; right, 



can be found under the bark of adult. From Leunis. 



1 Miller, because it lives in flour. 



2 These larvse are reared by bird-fanciers for bird food, and may be 

 obtained in bird stores. 



