130 SERRICORNIA ; ELATER. 



insects appear especially formed to inhabit ; our native species, 

 which are not above a quarter of an inch long, being observed 

 to fly with the greatest activity in warm weather. They live 

 among trees ; and, if an effort be made to seize them, they coun- 

 terfeit death, and fall to the ground. The Beetles belonging to 

 the allied genus Elater, are commonly called Skip-jacks ; for, 

 when laid on their backs, being unable to raise themselves on 

 account of the shortness of their legs, they spring perpendicu- 

 larly in the air, so as to alight upon their feet. They are enabled 

 to effect this feat of activity by the peculiar mode in which the 

 first and second segments of the thorax are attached to each 

 other. The prothorax, which is long and thick, is flattened be- 

 hind, so that it is enabled to bend backwards to a considerable 

 extent. When laid on its back, the insect avails itself of this 

 power, and throws up the middle of its body until it rests only 

 upon the head and the posterior extremity of the elytra, when 

 the spine of the second segment is drawn out of the pit already 

 mentioned ; then by a sudden exertion of muscular power the 

 body is straightened until the spine strikes forcibly into the 

 cavity appropriated to its reception, and the sudden check thus 

 caused is sufficient to throw the Beetle to a considerable height 

 in the air. The larva of one of the British species, known to 

 the farmer as the Wire-worm, does much injury by devouring 

 the roots of the corn. A species of Elater, inhabiting the West 

 Indies and South America, is one of the most brilliant of the 

 Fire-flies ; having two brightly-illuminated spots upon the front 

 of the thorax, and a portion of the abdomen which is uncovered 

 during flight being also very luminous. The common Telephori, 

 well known to children under the names of Soldiers and Sailors, 

 are examples of another section of this group, in which the in- 

 teguments are usually soft, whilst the sternum is always desti- 

 tute of the spine and pit above mentioned. Nearly allied to 

 these is the Lampyris or Glow-worm, of which sufficient men- 

 tion has been already made. To the same very numerous family 

 belong the genus Ptinus and its allies. These are insects of 

 small size and slow movements ; many of them are destitute of 

 wings ; and those which possess them seldom use them as means 



