LAMPYRID.E — GLOAV-WORMS. 55 



"Madoc" as furnishing the lamp by which Coatel rescued 

 the British hero from the hands of the Mexican priests : 



She beckon'd and descended, and drew out 

 From underneath her vest a cage, or net 

 It rather might be called, so fine the twigs 

 Which knit it, where, confined, two fire-flies gave 

 Their lustre. By that light did Madoc first 

 Behold the features of his lovely guide, 



Darwin says : " In Jamaica, at some seasons of the year, 

 the Fire-flies are seen in the evening in great abundance. 

 When they settle on the ground, the bull-frog greedily de- 

 vours them, which seems to have given origin to a curious, 

 though very cruel, method of destroying these animals : 

 if red-hot pieces of charcoal be thrown toward them in the 

 dusk of the evening, they leap at them, and hastily swal- 

 low them, mistaking them for Fire-flies, and are burnt to 

 death." (!y 



Beetles belonging to the family Elateridse have been so 

 called from a peculiar power they have of leaping up like 

 a tumbler when placed on their backs, and for this reason 

 they have received the English appellations of Spring-bee- 

 tles and Skip-jacks, and from the noise which the operation 

 makes when they leap, they are also called Snap, Watch, or 

 Click-beetle, and likewise Blacksmiths. 



If a Blacksmith beetle enters your house, a quarrel will 

 ensue which may end in blows. 



This superstition obtains in Maryland. 



Lampyridae. — Glow-worms. 



Antonius Thylesius Bonsentinus, following his elegant 

 description of the Glow-worm, gives a pretty fable of its 

 origin. As translated in Moufet's Theater of Insects, his 

 words are these : 



This little fly shines in the air alone, 

 Like sparks of fire, which when it was unknown 

 To me a boy, I stood then in great fear, 

 Durst not attempt to touch it, or come near. 



1 Saturday Mag., ix. 229. 



