The Glow-Worm and Other Beetles 



traordinary records of these creatures. Let 

 us look at it closely and at once." 



The thing was taken from the box, dusted 

 by blowing on it and carefully examined. I 

 really had before my eyes the pseudo- 

 chrysalis of some Meloid. Its shape was 

 unfamiliar to me. No matter: I was an 

 old hand and could not mistake its source. 

 Everything assured me that I was on the 

 track of an insect that rivalled the Sitares 

 and the Oil-beetles in the strangeness of its 

 transformations; and, what was a still more 

 precious fact, its occurrence amid the burrows 

 of the Mantis-killer told me that its habits 

 would be wholly different. 



" It's very hot, my poor Emile ; we are 

 both of us pretty done. Never mind: let's 

 go back to our sand-hill and dig and have 

 another search. I must have the larva that 

 comes before the pseudochrysalis; I must, if 

 possible, have the insect that comes out of 

 it." 



Success responded amply to our zeal. We 

 found a goodly number of pseudochrysalids. 

 More often still, we unearthed larvae which 

 were busy eating the Mantes, the rations of 

 the Tachytes. Are these really the larvae 

 that turn into the pseudochrysalids? It 

 seems very probable, but there is room for 

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