LAMPYRA. BORERS, &c. 



35 



Fig. 28. 



GLOW-WORM. 



Fig. 27. 



LAMPYRA. 



head towards its tail, raising this part, and repeating this action 

 until it has fallen on its feet, such a beetle may be recognised at 

 once as a species of Elater. These beetles are often found on 

 flowers and on the grass : like many other coleop'terous insects, 

 when approached they fall to the ground and feign to be dead. 

 There is one species (Elater noctilucus) about an inch long, 

 which inhabits South America, and has two brown spots on the 

 corselet, which at night diffuse a light so bright that the Indians 

 make use of them to light them in their nocturnal labours and 

 excursions. 



18. There is in the neighbourhood of Paris an insect, similar 

 to the last in producing phosphorescent light, the Lam'pyra (from 

 the Greek, lampuros, a glow-worm). The males (Jig. 27) are 



not particularly remarkable; but the 

 female (fig. 28), which is without 

 wings, diffuses a phosphorescent light at 

 night, which circumstance has obtained 

 for it the common name of glow-worm. 

 This light issues from the abdomen, and 

 the animal can vary its intensity at 

 pleasure. The females of the species 

 of Lam'pyra inhabiting warm coun- 

 tries, are, on the contrary, all winged, and in flying 

 through the air after sunset, they often produce a natural illumi- 

 nation comparable to numberless little moving stars. 



19. We give the name of borers (Andbium) to small insects 

 which inhabit our dwellings ; while in the larva state they are very 

 destructive, for then they eat the floors, joists, books, &c., through 

 which they pierce little round holes similar to those made by a 

 very fine gimlet ; their excrements form those little pulve'rulent 

 heaps of worm-eaten wood we often see on the floors of old houses. 

 Another species of borer in the same manner eats farinaceous 

 substances, and ravages collections of insects. 



20. Insects of the family of Cla'vicornes (from the Latin, 

 clava, a club, and cornu, horn) are characterized by antennae in 

 form of a club. To this family belong the Derme'stes (from the 

 Greek, derma, skin, and esthio, I eat). They have an oval body, 

 and their larvae, which feed on animal substances, commit great 

 depredations in fur stores, and in museums of natural history. 

 The Bacon -beetle belongs to this family. 



21. We place in the family of Lame'llicornes (from the Latin, 



18. What are glow-worms ? 



19. What are the habits of borers? 



20. How is the family of Cla'vicornes characterized ? What are the 

 characters of the Dermes'tes ? 



21. What are the characters of the Lame'llicornes ? 



