47<> DESCRIPTION OF THE MUSEUM. 



are two large luminous spots. The next genus 

 is that of the elater, Lin. ; when placed on their 

 back these insects cannot turn themselves, on 

 account of the shortness of their feet; they spring 

 perpendicularly until they regain their proper 

 position ; to do which they contract their feet 

 close to the body, then causing the head and the 

 abdomen to approach, they unbend themselves 

 like a spring, striking briskly on the ground, and 

 rebound into the air. The greatest number of 

 the elaters are deficient in that richness of or- 

 nament which distinguishes the preceding co- 

 leoptera. Many species are nevertheless re- 

 markable; such as the e.Jlabellicornis^ixi. (n i), 

 speciosus (n 7), ocellatus (n* 9), ferrugineus 

 (ni8), etc. This last is indigenous. The e.iwc- 

 tilucus (n 10), called cocuja in South America, 

 and the species n os n and i3 have luminous 

 spots, by the light of which, it is said, that the 

 smallest print may be read. This luminous pro- 

 perty which characterizes some species of the 

 two preceding genera, the object of which ap- 

 pears to be the union of the two sexes, is com- 

 mon to all those of the genus lampyris, Lin., 

 commonly called glow-worms, and by the Ita- 

 lians lucciolaj but in these the phosphoric effect 

 is produced by the last rings of the body; in 

 some species it is peculiar to the females, which 



