90 Capt. Boyes on the (Economy of the Panssidse. 



by the aid of a pin's point may be lifted up and in a slight degree 

 outspread, but collapsing immediately the impediment is removed. 

 It would be difficult to assign reasons for the different addenda in the 

 form of these insects, and observation alone can afford a clue to their 

 uses ; but that they are objects of extreme utility, and perhaps absolutely 

 necessary in their ceconomy, is easily to be conceived. Possibly 

 the last- mentioned appendages maybe a source of further protection 

 granted these curious insects, which are brought into play as danger 

 may threaten ; for in one I captured on the night of the 30th ult., 

 and which flew into the light on the table, I observed that when 

 placed under the microscope, if these papillae were touched, that 

 they possessed the power of discharging a yellowish milky liquid, 

 resembling pus in consistency, and which speedily overspread the 

 lower part of the elytron, granulating into small egg-shaped grains. 

 On repeating the irritation the same results occurred, and in order 

 to be certain of the fact, I tried each elytron twice with the same 

 effect. In my first trial the emission, was so sudden and took me so 

 by surprise, that viewing the insect through the medium of the mi- 

 croscope, I fancied it sufficiently near to be injurious, and inconti- 

 nently let it fall. I should mention that in all these trials, each 

 emission was accompanied with a faint acidulous odour. Although 

 the appearance of each discharge obtained on the elytron, I am in- 

 clined to believe, that, properly speaking, it issued from the folia- 

 ceous appendages on the abdomen, and that it spread over the wing- 

 case in consequence of the peculiar shape of the shards at the part 

 which overlaps the extremity of the above-mentioned organ ; but my 

 experiments were unfortunately closed ere I could satisfy my doubts, 

 as my servant in removing the microscope to another table contrived 

 to lose my specimen, since which I have been unsuccessful in making 

 a recapture. At one time previous to my loss I was inclined to be- 

 lieve that a minute perforation existed in the exterior angle of each 

 elytron, with margins sufficiently elastic to allow the liquid to pass 

 through, closing immediately after the emission, but I could not 

 bring myself to any certainty on this point. 



The following scene will be novel to our English collectors : — 

 June 22. — We have had very heavy rain for several days past, and 

 insects, both last night and on that of the 21st, were more numerous 

 than I ever remember to have seen before. A lamp I placed outside, 

 for the purpose of attracting them to the light, was after a minute 

 or so extinguished by the immense numbers which ffitted about it ; 

 and to prevent the wanton destruction of life, I was compelled to cover 

 the lamp with a wire shade at the expense of much light. As for 

 myself I could scarcely remain near the spot, though covered from 

 head to foot with a black blanket ; even with this precaution my 

 hair and clothes were so covered by the myriads which swarmed 

 around the light, and caused me so much annoyance by getting 

 under my dress, that I was forced to make a virtue of necessity, and 

 strip myself to a pair of light trowsers and white night- cap, but for 

 which I considered myself amply repaid in the capture of many new 

 and to me rare specimens. Among the most common were several 



