The Glow- Worm and Other Beetles 



membrane separating this segment and the 

 last, we see two spikes, slightly curved, short, 

 but with strong, sharp, hard points, and 

 placed one to the right and the other to the 

 left of the median line. These two ap- 

 pendages are able, by means of a mechanism 

 recalling, on a smaller scale, that of the 

 Snail's horns, to withdraw into themselves, 

 as a result of the membranous character of 

 their base. They can also retreat under the 

 eighth segment, borne, as they are, by the 

 anal segment, when this last, as it contracts, 

 withdraws into the eighth. Lastly, the ninth 

 or anal segment bears on its hinder edge two 

 long cirri, like those of the legs and the an- 

 tennae, curving backwards from tip to base. 

 At the rear of this segment a fleshy nipple 

 appears, more or less prominent; this is the 

 anus. I do not know where the stigmata are 

 placed; they have evaded my investigations, 

 though these were undertaken with the aid 

 of the microscope. 



When the larva is at rest, the various seg- 

 ments overlap evenly; and the membranous 

 intervals, corresponding with the articula- 

 tions, do not show. But, when the larva 

 walks, all the articulations, especially those 

 of the abdominal segments, are distended 

 and end by occupying almost as much 

 48 



