PHOSPHORIC INSECTS. 151 



sects, states that the " dim phosphoric light " 

 mentioned by Professor Afzelius is probably only 

 reflected light owed to the highly polished surface 

 of the spherical cellular antennae. But this is 

 merely a supposition, and does not even amount 

 to negative evidence. The genus Paussus is not 

 mentioned in the twelfth edition of Linnseus's 

 ( Sy sterna Naturae.' The species above named 

 appear to be all night insects; they are easily 

 recognized by the peculiar knob at the end of 

 each of their" antennae, which are very short, and 

 composed of only two segments, including the 

 cellular one. 



Lamarck thought that the two oval red spots 

 which we remark upon the second segment of the 

 abdomen of Chiroscelis bifenestrata are luminous 

 in the dark. I am not aware that the fact has 

 ever been confirmed. This insect, which is black, 

 and about 1^ inch long, inhabits the Isle Maria. 

 Its oval spots resemble those on the back of Ela- 

 ter noctilucus. 



According to Latreille,the Chinese insect known 

 as Buprestis ocellata has two spots upon its elytra, 

 which are luminous at night. A friend of this 

 naturalist assured him that he had seen these 

 spots luminous in a living specimen which was 

 brought from China to the Isle of France in some 

 wood. 



The Scarabaus pJwsplioricus, which Treviranus 



