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can have no such object, unless it serves as a point of 

 union in their supposed migrations, like the leading 

 call in migratory birds, or the summons of the war- 

 whoop among Indian tribes." 



The following observations on the glow-worm are 

 addressed to the editor of the Philosophical Magazine*: 

 " The female deposits her eggs in the month of June 

 or July, among moss, grass, &c. These eggs are of 

 a yellow colour, and emit light. After remaining 

 about five or six weeks, the larvae break their shells 

 and make their appearance : at first they appear white, 

 and are very small, but they soon increase in size, and 

 their colour changes to a dark brown, or nearly black 

 colour. The body of the larva is formed of eleven 

 rings. It has six feet, and two rows of reddish spots 

 down the back. It emits light in the dark : this light 

 arises from the last ring of its body under the tail, 

 and appears like two brilliant spots when attentively 

 examined. The larvae are seen creeping about and 

 shining during the fine nights in autumn, and the light 

 they emit is to direct them to their food. They feed 

 on small snails, the carcasses of insects, &c. They 

 frequently cast off their skins : after the expiration of 

 about one year and nine months from their birth, they 

 arrive at their perfect size. They then cease to eat, 

 cast off their skin, and assume another appearance. 

 The form of the perfect insect may be discovered 

 through a thin skin that covers them. After remain- 

 ing in this state two or three weeks (scarcely ever 

 moving), they throw off their last skin, and arrive at 

 perfection. The male then appears a perfect beetle, 

 having wings, and wing cases. The female, on the 

 contrary, has neither the one nor the other: she is 



* Phil. Mag. vol. Iviii. p. 53. 

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