90 Capt. Boyes on the Giconomy of the Pausside. 
by the aid of a pin’s point may be lifted up and in a slight degree 
outspread, but collapsing immediately the impediment is removed. 
It would be difficult to assign reasons for the different addenda in the 
form of these insects, and observation alone can afford a clue to their 
uses ; but that they are objects of extreme utility, and perhaps absolutely 
necessary in their ceeconomy, is easily to be conceived. Possibly 
the last-mentioned appendages may be a source of further protection 
granted these curious insects, which are brought into play as danger 
may threaten ; for in one I captured on the night of the 30th ult., 
and which flew into the light on the table, I observed that when 
placed under the microscope, if these papille were touched, that 
they possessed the power of discharging a yellowish milky liquid, 
resembling pus in consistency, and which speedily overspread the 
lower part of the elytron, granulating into small egg-shaped grains. 
On repeating the irritation the same results occurred, and in order 
to be certain of the fact, I tried each elytron twice with the same 
effect. In my first trial the emission was so sudden and took me so 
by surprise, that viewing the insect through the medium of the mi- 
croscope, I fancied it sufficiently near to be injurious, and inconti- 
nently let it fall. I should mention that in all these trials, each 
emission was accompanied with a faint acidulous odour. Although 
the appearance of each discharge obtained on the elytron, I am in- 
clined to believe, that, properly speaking, it issued from the folia- 
ceous appendages on the abdomen, and that it spread over the wing- 
case in consequence of the peculiar shape of the shards at the part 
which overlaps the extremity of the above-mentioned organ ; but my 
experiments were unfortunately closed ere I could satisfy my doubts, 
as my servant in removing the microscope to another table contrived 
to lose my specimen, since which I have been unsuccessful in making 
arecapture. At one time previous to my loss I was inclined to be- 
lieve that a minute perforation existed in the exterior angle of each 
elytron, with margins sufficiently elastic to allow the liquid to pass 
through, closing immediately after the emission, but I could not 
bring myself to any certainty on this point. 
The following scene will be novel to our English collectors :— 
June 22.—We have had very heavy rain for several days past, and 
insects, both last night and on that of the 21st, were more numerous 
than I ever remember to have seen before. A lamp I placed outside, 
for the purpose of attracting them to the light, was after a minute 
or so extinguished by the immense numbers which flitted about it ; 
and to prevent the wanton destruction of life, I was compelled to cover 
the lamp with a wire shade at the expense of much light. As for 
myself I could scarcely remain near the spot, though covered from 
head to foot with a black blanket; even with this precaution my 
hair and clothes were so covered by the myriads which swarmed 
around the light, and caused me so much annoyance by getting 
under my dress, that I was forced to make a virtue of necessity, and 
strip myself to a pair of light trowsers and white night-cap, but for 
which I considered myself amply repaid in the capture of many new 
and to me rare specimens. Among the most common were several 
