1/2 NATURAL HISTORY OP 



that is, without teeth or other appendage. But 

 these insects are best known by the remarkable 

 property which many of them possess of diffusing 

 a phosphoric light, a peculiarity which has suggest- 

 ed a name for them in every country where they 

 occur. Only one species, L. noctiluca, is to be 

 found in Britain. It is abundant in some of the 

 southern counties of England, but occurs very sel- 

 dom in Scotland, although it has been noticed in 

 several places in the southern division of that coun- 

 try. One of the most interesting of those indige- 

 nous to Europe, is named 



LAMPYRIS ITALICA. 



PLATE VIII. Fig. 2. 



Lampyris Italica, Linn — Olivier, Entom. ii. Xo. 28, p. 18, 

 pi. 2, fig. 12, a, &, c, d — Lampyris australis, Fab — Co- 

 liphotia Italica, Dejean. 



This is one of the smallest luminous insects with 

 which we are acquainted, the ordinary length not 

 exceeding three lines and a half. The prevailing 

 hue is blackish brown. The thorax and scutellum 

 are reddish yellow, pretty deeply punctured and pu- 

 bescent, and the former has sometimes a dusky spot 

 in the centre. The elytra are somewhat rough with 

 numerous and rather deeply impressed punctures. 

 The breast and legs (with the exception of the 

 tarsi) are yellow, and the abdomen dusky black, 



