146 PHOSPHORIC INSECTS. 
of the light of glowworms. According to Carus, 
this luminous organ “ constantly receives a cur- 
rent of a liquid equivalent to blood.” ‘This flow, 
in his opinion, is the cause of the rhythmical 
character of the luminous emanation, as seen in 
Lampyris italica. 
Guéneau de Montbelliard showed in 1782 (Nouv. 
Mem. de |’ Acad. de Dijon, vol. 1. p. 80) that the 
eggs of Lampyrida, which are small yellowish 
spheres, appear also phosphorescent m the dark. 
Carus has confirmed this observation, and assures 
us, at the same time, that the larve of these in- 
sects emit a greenish phosphoric light,—a fact 
which had been observed by Treviranus as early 
as 1802. Some authors have asserted that the 
chrysalis of the glowworm is slightly luminous. 
Other Coleoptera are exceedingly phosphores- 
cent. Such are the numerous species belonging 
to the genus later, known to the English as 
Fire-flies, and of which L. noctilucus (fig. 26) of 
