ELATERID^ — FIRE- FLIES, SPRING- BEETLES, ETC. 51 



to designate them all under the generic appellation of Rich- 

 ard. The origin of this name is as singular as its applica- 

 tion is fantastical. It was originally given to the Jay, in 

 consequence of the facility with which that bird was taught 

 to pronounce the word.^ 



Modern writers have been much divided in their opinion 

 as to what genus the celebrated Buprestis of the ancients 

 belongs. All indeed have regarded it as of the order Cole- 

 optera, but here their agreement ceases. Linnaeus seems to 

 have looked upon it as a species of the genus to which he 

 has given its name. Geoffroy thinks it to be a Carabus or 

 Cicindela; M. Latrielle, to the genus Meloe ; and Kirby 

 and Spence to Mylabri^.^ 



Of this Buprestis, Pliny says : " Incorporat with goat 

 sewer, it taketh away the tettars called lichenes that be in 

 the face."^ And Dr. James says that insects of this family 

 "are all in common, inseptic, exulcerating, and (possess) a 

 heating quality ; for which reason, they are mixed up with 

 medicines adapted to the cure of a Carcinoma, Lepra, and 

 the malignant Lichen. Mixed in emollient pessaries, they 

 provoke the Catamenial discharges."* 



The Greeks, it is said, commended the Buprestis in food.^ 



Elateridae — Fire-flies, Spring-beetles, etc. 



In an historical sense, the most interesting species of the 

 family Elateridse is the Elater noclilucus, a native of the 

 West Indies, and called by the inhabitants, Cucujus. From 

 an ancient translation of Peter Martyr's History of the West 

 Indies, we make the following quotation, which contains 

 many curious facts relative to this insect : 



" Whoso wanteth Cucvji, goeth out of the house in the 

 first twilight of the night, carrying a burning fier-brande in 

 his hande, and ascendeth the next hillocke, that the Cucvji 

 may see it, and swingeth the fier-brande about calling 



1 Cuvier, An. King. — Ins., i. 356. 



2 Introd , i. 15G. 



^ Pliny, XXX. 4 ; Holland, ii. 377. E. 



* iVed. Diet. 5 fi^id. 



