II. NOTES ON THE INDIAN GLOW-WORM 

 [LA M PROPHORUS TE NE BROSUS (Wlk.)] 



By C. A. Paiva, Assistant, Zoological Survey of India. 

 [Read at the Fifth Indian Science Congress, Lahore. January, 1918.] 



(With Plate VIII.) 



The present paper is based on personal observations made 

 during the months of August, September and October, 19 17. 

 Although the Indian glow-worm is quite common in most parts, 

 especially during the rainy season, when snails, which form 

 its natural food, abound, and although a good deal is known 

 of the structure of larvae of the family and also something about 

 their habits, no detailed account of the natural history of any par- 

 ticular species of Indian glow-worm seems to have been recorded. 

 As is well known, these creatures are entirely nocturnal in their 

 habits and spend the entire day in a state of rest or sleep from 

 which it is almost impossible to awaken them. As soon as the 

 light begins to fade they wake up from their slumber and wander 

 forth in search of food. In their natural surroundings they are 

 probably obliged to search a good deal before they find their food, 

 as those, which I have had under observation, although supplied 

 with a number of snails, always took some time before thev 

 secured a snail each. They can walk rather fast and when in 

 quest of food the head is protruded as far as possible with the 

 antennae, which are retractile, extended to their fullest extent. 



My specimens were kept in breeding cages 12 " X 10" X 8" 

 made of wood with perforated zinc sheeting and 2:lass sides and 

 door. Snails were constantly supplied to them. 



Description oj jnll-groivn larva. 



Length 60 to 65 mm. greatest breadth 19 mm. 



Shining black, a rather broad yellowish ochraceous margin on 

 the lateral areas of the thoracic and abdominal segments. The 

 dorsal segments of the thorax and abdomen are composed of chitin- 

 ous, somewhat flattened plates, partially overlapping each other, 

 that of the pronotum concealing the head. Head protrusible, 

 shining black, flat above, with a deep^ central, V-shaped emargina- 

 tion bordered with light brown on anterior margin ; mandibles 

 dark red, their inner areas black, very robust, curved, rather 

 bluntly pointed, not overlapping each other, but in the earlier 

 stages these overlap each other to a great extent and are acutely 

 pointed apically, base of mandibles broad with a strong blunt 



