28 Journal New York Entomological Society. [N'oI. xxv. 



The legs are pale wood brown, darker apically. The body is quite 

 rugose, with spines along the margins and on the legs. 



Throughout the summer and fall, when the days are still warm, 

 these peculiar testudiform larvae can be taken in goodly numbers creep- 

 ing over the ground, near edges of brooks, under brushwood, and even 

 several inches up plant stems. Most of them prove to be larvae in 

 the second year of their growth. Specimens in the second, third and 

 fourth moults are less commonly seen, but all shine brightly and 

 steadily from two little yellowish-green points on the eighth abdom- 

 inal sternite. When a light is brought near them they hasten away, 

 and when touched on the back have a habit of flattening themselves' 



The feeding habits of American lampyrids are more imperfectly 

 known than those of Europe, where Fabre, Newport and others have 

 studied the natural history of Lampyris noctiluca. As a larva, this 

 insect feeds upon Helix nemoralis, aspersa, and probably other snails 

 which it cautiously bites, injecting a poisonous deliquescing fluid into 

 its prey at the same time. The mollusc is rendered inert by several 

 of these tweaks and can then be devoured at leisure. Fabre (1913) 

 speaks of the remarkable case of the Algerian beetle, Drilns maro- 

 canus, allid to the glow-worm, which fixes itself to the surface of the 

 snail-shell and there awaits, for days if it needs be, for the snail to 

 open up the strong lid with which it is provided. In America, Phen- 

 godes is known to feed upon myriopods. and Pyractomena Incifera 

 lives in salt marsh meadows among snails. McDermott (1910), in 

 speaking of the larva of Photwis pennsylvanica, says: "These larvae 

 appear to be semi-aquatic in habit: at this time of the year (early 

 September), while walking along the edge of Rock Creek, in Rock 

 Creek Park, Washington, D. C, numerous points of greenish light, 

 which glow slowly and then die out slowly, to glow again in a moment 

 or so, may be seen at the very edge of the water ; on investigation 

 these proved to be the larval forms of Photuris clinging to moist 

 stones, weeds, etc., and presumably preying upon the smaller living 

 things there." On the evening of September 8, 1913, I chanced upon 

 three Photuris which were disposing of a large limp earthworm they 

 had evidently overcome a few minutes before my arrival. • This is 

 the only occasion on which I saw Photuris larvae feeding in the field. 

 In the laboratory they readily devoured cut-up insects, which they 

 left as mere shells. Certainly snails appear to be far too scarce in 



