The Glow- Worm and Other Beetles 



thra (C. quadripunctata, LIN.), and the 

 Taxicorn Clythra (C. taxkornis, FAB.). 



I set up a second menagerie with some 

 Cryptocephali, who are closely related to the 

 Clythrae. The inmates are the Ilex Crypto- 

 cephalus (C. ilicis, OLIV.), the Two-spotted 

 Cryptocephalus (C. bipunctatus, LIN.) and 

 the Golden Cryptocephalus (C. hypochceri- 

 dis, LIN.), who wears a resplendent cos- 

 tume. For the first two I provide sprigs of 

 ilex; for the third, the heads of a centaury 

 {Centaur ea aspera), which is the favourite 

 plant of this living gem. 



There is nothing striking in the habits of 

 my captives, who spend the morning very 

 quietly, the first five browsing on their oak- 

 leaves and the sixth on her centaury-blooms. 

 When the sun grows hot, they fly from the 

 bunch of leaves in the centre to the wire trellis 

 and back from the trellis to the leaves, or 

 wander about the top of the cage in a state 

 of great excitement. 



Every moment couples are formed. They 

 pester each other, pair without preliminaries, 

 part without regrets and begin elsewhere all 

 over again. Life is sweet; and there are 

 enough for all to choose from. Several are 

 persistent. Mounted on the back of the pa- 

 tient female, who lowers her head and seems 

 460 



