156 HISTORY OF 



resemble the horn of a rhinoceros. There is 

 indeed a beetle so called, but then the horn, or 

 trunk, has no fork at the end, though the lower 

 horn resembles this. The feet are all forked at 

 the end, but not like lobsters' claws. 



To this class we may also refer the Glow-worm, 

 that little animal which makes such a distinguish- 

 ed figure in the descriptions of our poets. No 

 two insects can differ more than the male and 

 female of this species from each other. The 

 male is in every respect a beetle, having cases to 

 its wings, and rising in the air at pleasure ; the 

 female, on the contrary, has none, but is entirely 

 a creeping insect, and is obliged to wait the ap- 

 proaches of her capricious companion. The bo- 

 dy of the female has eleven joints, with a shield 

 breast-plate, the shape of which is oval; the 

 head is placed over this, and is very small ; and 

 the three last joints of her body are of a yellowish 

 colour : but what distinguishes it from all other 

 animals, at least in this part of the world, is the 

 shining light which it emits by night, and which 

 is supposed by some philosophers to be an ema- 

 nation which she sends forth to allure the male to 

 her company. Most travellers who have gone 

 through sandy countries must well remember the 

 little shining sparks with which the ditches are 

 studded on each side of the road. If incited by 

 curiosity to approach more nearly, he will find 

 this light sent forth by the glow-worm ; if he 

 should keep the little animal for some time, its 

 light continues to grow paler, and at last appears 

 totally extinct. The manner in which the light 



