82 INSECTS. 



when a considerable number of dark, soft-bodied beetles, 

 attracted by the light, flew into the room ; some of 

 these were placed under a glass, and while being carried 

 through a dark passage, unexpectedly revealed them- 

 selves as Glowworms. The true Glow "worm," how- 

 ever, is the female of this beetle, (PI. II., fig. G), and is 

 quite unrecognisable as a beetle to an inexperienced eye. 

 It is a narrow, flat, soft, black insect, about an inch 

 long, and marked down the sides with pale spots ; the 

 legs and antennae are short, the thorax and abdomen not 

 very clearly distinguished from each other, and in the 

 common species there is no appearance whatever of 

 wings or elytra. In fact, the female so closely resembles 

 the larva as easily to be mistaken for it. The larva, 

 however, differs in the form of the legs and the length of 

 the antenna, arid also in being provided with an appen- 

 dage at the end of the body, which it uses as a foot 

 in walking, like the caterpillars of moths and butter- 

 flies. This appendage is peculiar, and is said to be used 

 to cleanse the insect after feeding. It may be observed, 

 even with the naked eye, to leave a minute spot of 

 moisture upon whatever it walks over, not at every step, 

 but at occasional momentary stoppages. The larva and 

 the perfect insect both feed upon snails. 



Not only are the perfect male and female Glowworm, 

 luminous, but the larva?, and, it is said, even the eggs, are 

 so in a slight degree. Dr. Todd, in a paper read 

 before the Royal Society, April, 1824, states that the 

 luminous organ continues to give light for a short 

 period after amputation, and that it is to be re-excited 

 by heat, cold, friction and galvanism; by alcohol, 

 camphor and ammonia. He adds, that when the animal 

 is killed by certain poisons, after all light and life have 



