LARVA OF THE FIREFLY. 1G5 



were expanded. His account is given at length in the " Zoological 

 Journal/' vol. iii. 



The larva as well as the perfect Beetle feeds upon sugar-cane, 

 and, considering the vast numbers of the insect, it probably docs 

 much harm to the sugar crops. Mr. Hill suggests that as the 

 sugar-cane, in order to prosper, requires a great amount of phos- 

 phates in the soil, the phosphorescent light may be primarily 

 referred to the soil. 



Beautiful as is this insect by night, it is by day but an ordinary 

 brown Beetle, without a single element of beauty except a certain 

 elegance of form. The thorax is dark brown, and the elytra 

 apparently of a lighter colour. They are in reality black, but 

 are covered with a pale dun-coloured down, which is but lightly 

 attached and easily rubbed off. Below, it is black, rather deeply 

 punctured, and thickly sprinkled with small yellowish hairs. 

 There are several species of Noctilucus, but that which has beer- 

 described is the best known and the most brilliant. This is by 

 no means the only insect that is called by the name of Firefly ; 

 some are closely allied to the Cucujo, and others more nearly 

 related to the well-known glow-worm. 



