624 Habits of the Glowworm, 



My next care was to carefully watch them from day to day. 

 I found that a change of moss, once in ten or twelve days, 

 was very agreeable to them, as they always appeared more 

 lively and active, and emitted also a more brilliant light. On 

 July 12th, the male flew out of the jar; and, the window being 

 open, he made his escape. On the 16th, I observed one of 

 the females depositing her eggs among the moss ; and on the 

 23d she died. The other four died about the beginning of 

 August; but how many of them laid eggs I could not as- 

 certain. 



Eggs. The eggs were of a pale yellow colour when de- 

 posited, and instantly emitted light ; and I found, when I had 

 occasion to sprinkle the moss with water, that the eggs emitted 

 a stronger light : they became a little darker in four or five 

 days. 



Larva? and Pupa. I found, on August 27th, that the larvae 

 began to appear. They were rather lighter in colour than 

 the eggs, but became gradually darker as they advanced to- 

 wards maturity. They had, when young, the power of emit- 

 ting light, or otherwise, at pleasure. After about 30 of the 

 larva? had escaped from the eggs, I carefully transferred 

 them to the fresh moss, and placed the old moss, with the re- 

 mainder of the eggs, upon a bank, to follow nature's course. 

 In sixteen days, three of the larvae ceased to eat, and retired 

 to one side of the jar, for the purpose of moulting, or casting 

 their skins, in which operation they appeared to suffer much : 

 they became very weak and languid, and ceased to emit light. 

 The operation being at length overcome, two whole days 

 passed before they appeared to have strength to partake of 

 food ; but, after they had once or twice taken nourishment, 

 they became more lively and vigorous, emitted a much stronger 

 light, and seemed to make amends for their long fasting, by 

 eating, if I may so speak, with double voracity. My little 

 family continued to feed, grow, moult, and hasten to their ma- 

 turity. On the 10th of May following (making a period of 

 nearly nine months in coming to perfection), three of the 

 larvae ceased to take food, and, as I thought, to prepare for 

 another moulting ; which, indeed, was the case ; but, instead of 

 a lively worm, I soon found (on the 13th) that one of them 

 had become a chrysalis, and the other two changed into the 

 same state on the 15th. The chrysalis, at first, appeared of a 

 yellowish colour, but soon deepened into a reddish brown. 

 In the course of ten days, several other larvae entered into the 

 chrysalis state ; while others, to my great astonishment, still 

 continued in their larvae state till the May following, making 

 a period of one year and nine months : whether this was owing 



