IXSECTS. 



207 



while there is another on the lower surface of the abdomen where it joins 

 the thorax. An old writer thus describes the way in which the inhabi- 

 tants of the West Indies catch these beetles : — 



■• Who so wanteth cucuij, goeth out of the house in the 

 first twilight of the night, carrying a burning fire-brande 

 in his hancle, and ascendeth the next hillock, that the 

 cucuij may see it, and hee swingeth the fire-brande about, 

 calling cucuius aloud, and beateth the ayre with often call- 

 ing cucaie. cucuie. Many simple people suppose that the 

 cucuij, delighted with the noise, come flying and flocking 

 aether to the bellowing sound of him that calleth them, 

 for they come with a speedy and headlong course; but I fig.203. 

 rather thinke that the cucuij make haste to the bright- snai!ping-beHi^'' , ' nt 

 ness of the fire-brande, because swarms of gnattes fly 

 into every light which the cucuij eat in the very ayre, as the martletts 

 and swallowes doe. Some cucuius followeth the fire-brande, and lighteth on 

 the ground ; then he is easily taken, as travelers may take a beetle, if they 

 have need thereof, walking with his wings shut. In sport and merri- 

 ment, or to the intent to terrify such as are affrayed of every shadow, they 

 say that many wanton wild fellowes sometimes rubbed their faces by night 

 with the flesh of a cucuius, being killed, with purpose to meet their neigh- 

 bors with a flaming countenance, as with us wanton young men, putting a 

 gaping vizard over their face, endeavor to terrify children or women who 

 are easily frightened." 



A much later writer gives another account which the reader will cer- 

 tainly excuse us for quoting. After describing several insects of Cuba, 

 the present insect is taken up as follows : " But a really beautiful and 

 interesting insect is the cucujo, or famous fire-fly of the West Indies, two 

 of which I now have on my table in an impromptu cage, where they have 

 been domesticated for a week. Very docile are they in my hands, to whose 

 touch they seem to have become pleasantly accustomed, taking kindly 

 to a diet of moist sugar in lieu of sugar-cane, which is their appropriate 

 aliment, and accepting a semi-daily bath in my wash-basin with great 

 apparent enjoyment, floating about in the water for several minutes, and 

 then spreading out their legs and feelers as a sign that they are ready to 

 come out. They are a sufficiently unattractive bug in their unilluminated 

 state, being of a- clingy earth-brown color, and about the shape and size 

 of a large cockroach; but they become so glorified by the irradiance of 

 those wondrous orbs of phosphorescent light which they carry about on 

 their shoulders, that the children scream with delight at the sight of them. 

 and ladies make pets of them as I do, and even use them as ornament.- 



