ORDER I. BEETLES. 51 



eyed, because each side of its thorax is ornamented T\dth a 

 large circular black spot, which looks like an eye. But as 

 its eyes are in its head, like all the others, I have thought 

 best to give it a more correct English name, and accord- 

 ingly, from the resemblance of its spots to velvet, I call it 

 the Velvet-spotted Spring Beetle. 



This Beetle is seen in all the States of the Union, but 

 more in the South than at the North. It is found mostly 

 in the trunks of trees, where its larva3 also reside. The 

 larvae have flat bodies, of an orange color, and they live 

 several years in this condition before they become perfect 

 Beetles. 



The Lightning Spring Beetle {Elater noctilucus) is an- 

 other species of the same genus, 

 and has a far more appropriate i^'ne 



Latin name, noctilucus, or night- 

 illuminating, but its common 

 name in English is the Cucujo. 

 This insect is nearly an inch and 

 a half long, and half an inch wide. 

 It has two yellow, elevated, corn- 

 like spots upon each side of the 

 thorax, which are the principal 

 organs for emitting light, and 



T . 1 , ,. •,., Lightning Spring Beetle. 



which appear, when alive, like 



two shining emeralds. But besides these spots, it also 

 emits light from every segment of the under side of its 

 hind body. This light the animal can produce at pleas- 

 ure, and when there are eight or ten of them in one glass, 

 it is strong enough to enable a person to read by it. 



Some months since a lady presented me two of these liv- 

 ing Lightning Beetles, which she had received from Cuba. 

 I kept them in a glass, and exhibited them in a dark room 

 to several of my friends, who were much astonished and 

 delighted at being able to see to read by the light issuing 



