LIGHT. 



55 



You can see it dig, if you capture one, and give it some sand to work 

 on. After having removed some with the fore feet, it seizes it with the 

 jaws, places it on its head, of whicli the upper surface is hollowed out, 

 and then carries it to some distance from the hole which it has begun. 

 In this way it labors until the hole is deep enough to conceal the whole 

 body and then its operations become more interesting. Descending 

 head foremost, and crooking its anal segment over the opening of the 

 hole to support the body, it continues the Avork. From time to time it 

 carries on its head the bits of sand it has detached with the feet and 

 jaws and holds them there by means of the jaws, which it elevates, and 

 by the position it gives to the head, throwing it back so as to form a 

 right angle with the body. In this way it carries grains of sand and 

 small stones larger than the head, and if one of these falls, it seizes it 

 again with the mouth and throws it over the head to a considerable dis- 

 tance from the hole. As the hole deepens, the labor of the miner in- 

 creases at such a rate, that he is often forced to rest in regaining the 

 mouth of his mine ; to effect this he fixes himself to the sides by means 

 of the hooks on his back. He is like a chimney sweep, who supports 

 himself in the flue with his knees and his back, only that the sweep has 

 the additional advantage of hands, but he is not a better climber than 

 our larva. 



At the slightest approach of danger, he descends with great rapidity, 

 letting himself glide down to the bottom. The tubercles on the eighth 

 segment aie depressed in an instant and thus offer no obstruction to his 

 descent. 



After he has finished his hole, which varies in depth according to 

 the age and size of the larva, he establishes himself at the entrance. As 

 before stated, he pokes out nothing but his head and the first segment 

 and sustains this position by means of the hooks on his back. He 

 seizes on every thing within his reach, and even devours the j)erject 

 cicindela, which may have been his own mother. 



When full fed, he retires to the bottom of his artificial cave, assumes 

 the chrysalis state, and some time after comes out the beautiful beetle 

 before described. We have about twenty-four species in this country, 

 but the habits of the larvae of all are probably the same. 



J. G. M. 



LIGHT. 



The knowledge, which has been obtained in reference to that subtle 

 something — light, and the laws which govern its motion, reflection and 



