CH. VII.] LUMINOUS WINGED INSECTS 



119 



when attentively examined, during the fine nights 

 in autumn, when they are creeping about in search 

 of their food, which consists of small snails, <fec. 

 A curious account has been given of the cleanliness 

 of the larvae, after having partaken of their food, 

 from which we will make the following extract : — 



"Having found the larva," says a gentleman, 

 "when looking for objects of natural history in the 

 neighbourhood of Dartford, I placed it into my box, 

 and thinking it might be a vegetable feeder, I put 

 some of the oak bark, moss, fern, and honeysuckle 

 along with it. » Into the same box 1 afterward put 

 several specimens of small snails, with pellucid 

 shells, which I found in the same locality. When 

 on inspecting it the next day, I found that the veg- 

 etable substances I had placed with it were not 

 touched, and that the snails had glued themselves 

 to the top of the box. After examining the insect 

 for some time, I noticed that it made some very 

 singular movements with its tail, in the manner of 

 the common earwig and the devil's coach-horse, by 

 bending up its tail over its back. There appeared 

 to be something so uncommon in its movements, 



