rnOSPHOUESCENT INSECTS. 37 



in the garden and watch the evening pass into 

 night. Nature, in these climes, chooses her vocal- 

 ists from more humble performers than in Europe. 

 A smaU frog, of the genus Hyla, sits on a blade of 

 grass about an inch above the surface of the water, 

 and sends forth a pleasing chirp : when several are 

 together, they sing in harmony on different notes. 

 I had some difficulty in catching a specimen of this 

 frog. The genus Hyla has its toes terminated by 

 small suckers ; and I found this animal could crawl 

 up a pane of glass, when placed absolutely perpen- 

 dicular. Various cicadas and crickets, at the same 

 time, keep up a ceaseless shrill cry, but which, 

 softened by the distance, is not unpleasant. Every 

 evening after dark this gi-eat concert commenced ; 

 and often have I sat listening to it, until my atten- 

 tion has been drawn away by some curious passing 

 insect. 



At these times the fireflies are seen flitting about 

 from hedge to hedge. On a dark night the light 

 can be seen at about two hundred paces distant. 

 It is remarkable that in all the different kinds of 

 glowworms, shining elaters, and various marine 

 animals (such as the crustacea, medusae, nereidte, 

 a coralline of the genus Clytia, and Pyi'osoma), 

 which I have observed, the light has been of a 

 well-marked green colour. All the fireflies which 

 I caught here belonged to the Lampyridae (in 

 which family the English glowworm is included), 

 and the greater number of specimens were of Lam- 

 pyris occidentalis.* I found that this insect emit- 

 ted the most brilliant flashes when irritated : in 

 the intervals, the abdominal rings were obscured. 

 The flash was almost coinstantaneous in the two 



* I am greatly indebted to Mr. Waterhouse for his kindness in 

 naming for me this and many other insects, and in giving me much 

 valuable assistance. 



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