74 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
too, showed a series of luminous points, which, so far as I 
could make out, had much the same arrangement as in the 
case of the female. The male, however, possesses prothoracic 
luminous areas, which are absent in the case of the female. 
The spots are even more difficult to count in the case of the 
male than in that of the female, owing to the small size of the 
insect and its restlessness in confinement. The meso- and 
metathoracic ones are weaker than the rest.. The dorsal series 
can be plainly seen at the posterior end, and also in favourable 
circumstances shining faintly through the elytra. The whole 
ventral surface oi the abdomen of the male glows softly. 
The male has eight ventral abdominal segments, the 
seventh of which is narrow, and is seen clearly only towards 
the sides, and the eighth small and somewhat triangular in 
shape. As to what may be the significance of this double set of 
luminous organs I am unable even to offer a suggestion. The 
large one is evidently sexual, but what function has the series 
of lights ?. And what part in the economy of the species do 
the lights in the case of the male play? If they are rudi- 
mentary organs, it is astonishing to find them emitting the 
strong, clear light that they do emit. 
I nearly lost the female on two occasions. On one occasion 
T had left her for a few seconds, and on my return I found a 
toad dangerously near her! On the second occasion I found 
her in the course of the night wandering about on the floor, 
she having made her escape, and the interesting thing was 
that she was then showing not the large luminous organ, but 
the series of luminous points ; this was on the night of the 3rd. 
I exposed her again on the night of the 4th about 7 P.M., 
and soon had captured four males, She laid eggs during the 
night of the 5th. On the night of the 6th, though I waited 
for a long time, she did not show her strong light, but the 
luminous points glowed faintly. She laid a further lot of eggs 
on the night of the 6th. 
The eggs are whitish, oval-cylindrical, about 1°25 mm. 
long, and a little longer than broad. They were laid in a loose 
mass in the tube. 
Peradeniya. A. RUTHERFORD. 
