Coleopterous Injects. 253 



While the beetle was entertaining me with this singular scene, 

 a ^Scolopendra electrica, a perfect line of silvery light, was, at 

 the same time, at the distance of three or four inches from the 

 exterior of the illuminated spot, slowly, but gracefully, wind- 

 ing its way, without leaving the least mark or vestige by which 

 its course could be discovered. The whole spectacle was 

 most splendid; and I deem it worthy of communication, 

 because, in my humble judgment, it serves to corroborate the 

 suggestion of those admirable observers of nature, Messrs. 

 Kirby and Spence, " that the luminous substance is probably 

 given to some insects as a means of defence." In the case 

 before us, the beetle probably attacked the 6^colopendra, and 

 a severe struggle ensued, in the course of which the latter 

 discharged the luminous fluid, and, by so doing, stupified its 

 enemy and preserved itself. There is one circumstance 

 equally worthy our observation and admiration. Admitting 

 that the AS'colopendra is furnished [with a large reservoir of 

 luminous matter, still must that matter be of an extraordinary 

 and surprising nature to allow of such attenuation and expan- 

 sion as I have described, without suffering any diminution of 

 splendour and refulgence. It would have been a gratification 

 to have been able to say what became of the beetle; whether 

 it ultimately extricated itself, or fell a victim to the powerful 

 substance in which it was enveloped ; but I was unfortunately 

 driven from my station by a heavy fall of rain, and was desti- 

 tute of all means by which an insect can be secured. — J, S. T. 

 April 29. 1833. 



On walking with a friend, one evening after dark, at 

 Michaelmas time, in the village of Horningsheath, Suffolk, 

 named above, we were attracted by a patch of brilliant light, 

 the size of the palm of my hand, or larger, on the side of the 

 hedgebank which skirted our path ; and within the extent of 

 this light we could perceive an insect of considerable size 

 moving about. A glowworm (Z^ampyris), no doubt, thought I, 

 and secured the moving insect by putting it into my hat ; and 

 this done, we returned to a party we had left at the cottage 

 from which we had taken our stroll. We had hoped to gra- 

 tify the party with a sight of our glowworm, when, on taking 

 off' my hat before the candle, my insect proved devoid of 

 luminousness, and, to my horror, no glowworm, but Goerius 

 olens. Then, since, and now, I could and can only account 

 for finding this wolf of insects within the broad patch of light, 

 by supposing that it, in its evening foraging, had met with a 

 glowworm, and that this, in its resistance of the grasp oi', and 

 struggles against, the Goerius, had suffused the earth with the 

 patch of light which we had seen. See also in I. 299. — J, Z). 



