20 Journal New York Entomological Society, t^'o^- xxv. 



turbed and this is striking when they are in some numbers. Such 

 sudden effulgence subsides rather gradually. Only half-grown to full- 

 sized larvae were found. These were often taken gregariously in 

 the fall, winter and early spring in moist earth and rubbish, decaying 

 stumps and under stones. The pupa, in conformity with the adult 

 insect, has the abdominal segments drawn, out posteriorly, both latero- 

 dorsally and latero-ventrally. With the exception of the dull glassy 

 head, appendages and tip of the abdomen, it is of a delicate roseate 

 color. It is very active at this stage. Pupae may not shine at all 

 times and when shining may do so with varying intensity. In one 

 case the luminous points appeared to be on both the eighth and ninth 

 segments but more intense on the latter. In addition, some of the 

 pupae when disturbed gave forth a diffuse body glow. This recalls the 

 glow of the Photuris pupa. Freshly hatched adults of both sexes 

 shone better than older specimens, though neither did so at all times. 

 A freshly emerged female on being handled emitted a diffuse yel- 

 lowish-green light, the whole abdomen and at least the clearer lateral 

 pieces of the prothorax being involved. The light seems to be under 

 rather slow control and suggests that the adult may be partly noc- 

 turnal. The insect hibernates in the larval stage. 



Pyractomena sp. 



During the afternoon of April 19, 1916, while engaged in field 

 work for the Gypsy Moth Laboratory of the Bureau of Entomology, 

 I took this large and somewhat remarkable lampyrid larva at Hanson, 

 Plymouth Co., Mass., as it was ascending the trunk of a large white 

 oak {Qiiercus alba), at a height of four or five feet. This tree, with 

 numerous others, formed a grove in a low, rather moist area. 



The length of the larva, exclusive of the head, is 22 mm. The 

 head is very small in proportion to the size of the body, for while 

 decidedly elongate, its very narrow and nearly cylindrical form gives 

 it the appearance of a dark, shining rod or tube. It is furnished 

 with a pair of sharp-pointed, sickle-like mandibles which are some- 

 what upcurved at their distal end. The body is rather flattened fusi- 

 form but more narrowed posteriorly. The prothorax is by far the 

 longest of the segments, being as long as or longer than wide and 

 drawn out and narrowed anteriorly into a sort of neck. The thoracic 

 legs are long and slender and strongly clawed. The rather indurate 



