The Glow-Worm and Other Beetles 



thesia in its patient. Human science did not 

 in reality invent this art, which is one of the 

 wonders of our latter-day surgery. Much 

 earlier, far back in the centuries, the Lampy- 

 ris and, apparently, others Icnew it as well. 

 The animal's knowledge had a long start of 

 ours; the method alone has changed. Our 

 operators proceed by making us inhale the 

 fumes of ether or chloroform; the insect 

 proceeds by injecting a special virus that 

 comes from the mandibular fangs in in- 

 finitesimal doses. Might we not one day be 

 able to benefit by this hint? What glorious 

 discoveries the future would have in store 

 for us, if we understood the beastie's secrets 

 better 1 



What does the Lampyris want with 

 anaesthetical talent against a harmless and 

 moreover eminently peaceful adversary, who 

 would never begin the quarrel of his own 

 accord? I think I see. We find in Algeria 

 a Beetle known as Drilus fnaroccanus, who, 

 though non-luminous, approaches our Glow- 

 worm in his organization and especially in 

 his habits. He too feeds on land molluscs. 

 His prey is a Cyclostome with a graceful 

 spiral shell, tight-closed with a stony lid 

 which is attached to the animal by a powerful 

 muscle. The lid is a movable door which is 

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