118 NATURAL HISTORY. [CH. VII. 



We well remember, even this day, the idea we 

 received in our childhood by the first impression on 

 viewing one of these insects ; we could scarcely 

 overcome the species of terror and distrust with 

 which we saw moving insects on fire, and yet not 

 consumed ; but a short time corrected our errors, 

 and admiration succeeded the more painful feeling. 



No time has since been able to dimmish the de- 

 light with which we first contemplated these " stars 

 of the earth." 



The glow-worm (Lampyris noctiluca) is very com- 

 mon, but is either local in its habits, being only 

 found in certain places, and has been supposed to 

 disappear occasionally for some time, and then re 

 appear with its usual splendour. It is more gener- 

 ally found to inhabit the borders of paths and the 

 outer margins of woods or coppices, especially in 

 low situations, where it is observable after the heat 

 of the day is over, and when the dew is falling. 

 The females, which are more numerous than the 

 males, deposite their eggs in the month of June or 

 July, on grass, moss, &c. They are of a yellow 

 colour, and are stated to be luminous, but it is 

 doubtful whether the luminous matter so observed 

 is any thing but an excretion of the insect, appear- 

 ing under the form of a congeries of minute brill- 

 iant points. The larvae, after remaining quiescent 

 for about five or six weeks, break their shells and 

 make their appearance ; when first emerged from 

 the eggs they are very small and of a white colour, 

 but they rapidly increase in size, and become much 

 darker, passing from a dark brown to almost black. 

 The three stages of these insects, viz., larva, pupa, 

 and imago, or perfect insects, are very similar to 

 one another The larva is composed of eleven 

 segments ; it has six feet ; two rows of reddish 

 spots down the back ; and is capable of emitting a 

 phosphoric light from the last rings of the abdo- 

 men. The light appears like two brilliant spots, 



