512 



Div. 3. ARTICULATA.— IXSECTA. 



Ci.Ass 3. 



to vary its action, which is especially the case when they are seized or held in the hand. Tliey live for a very loi.,;; 

 time in a vacuum, or in different ffases, except nitric, muriatic, and sulphuric acid gas, in which they die in a fev? 

 moments. Their immersion in hydrogen ffas rentiers them, at least sometimes, detonating. When deiuived l>y 

 mutilation of this luminous part of tlie body they survive, and this detached part preserves for some time its 

 luminous powers, eitlierwhen submitted to the action of different pases, in vacuo, or in the open air, its phospho- 

 rescence depending; upon its moistness rather than on the life of the animal, as it is easily re-lighted on moistening 

 the substance with watei ; it appears much more bright also when immersed in warm water, which is the only 

 fluid capable of dissolving it. 



These insects are nocturnal in their habits, the males being occasionally seen flying, like moths, round lights ; 

 whence we concUide that the luminous property of the females has for its object the attraction of individuals of 

 the other sex ; and if, as De Geer states, the larvoe and pupa; of the common Glow-worm are luminous, it is only 

 to be attributed to the developement of this phosphoric substance from the earliest age. The males themselves 

 also possess this power, but in a very slight degree. Nearly all the species of hot climates have both sexes 

 winged, and as they occur in great quantities, they exhibit a brilliant spectacle to the ir.habitants. 



Amtjdetcs, Hoftin., comprises some Brazilian species, having the antennae composed of more than eleven joints, 

 and strongly plumose. 



Phengodcs, Hoftm., also consists of other South American species, with only eleven joints in the antennae, the 

 tliird and following joints emitting two long ciliated and curled filaments. 

 The remaining species compose the restricted genus 



Lampyris, divisible, from the form of the antennas, the presence or want of elytra and wings, &c., into many 

 minor groups. [See Laporte's revision of this genus in the Annals ofthe French Ent. Soc] 

 L.noctiluca, Linn., the male of which is nearly half-an-inch long, and has simple antennae; a semicircular 



thorax entirely covering the head, with two transparent spots ; 

 belly black ; last segments of a pale yellow. The female is 

 destitute of wings and elytra, and is of a blackish colour; the 

 apex paler; the latter are more especially called Glow-worms. 

 They are found in the country, at the side of roads, in hedges, 

 amongst grass, &c., in the months of June, July, and August, 

 They lay a great number of eggs, which are large, spherical, 

 and of a citron colour. The larva nearly resembles the female, 

 but is black, with a pale spot at the hinder angles of the seg 

 inents ; the antenna; ami legs being much shorter, they crawl 

 slowly, and are able to shorten and lengthen their bodies. They 

 are probably carnivorous. 

 In our second division of the Lampi/rides the antennrc arc 

 w ide apart at the base ; the head is not formed into a muzzle, and the eyes are of the usual size in both sexes. 



Drilus, Oliv., has the antenna" pectinated in the males, and shorter and subserrated in the females ; the maxil- 

 lary palpi are thickened towards the end, which is pointed. The males are alone winged, the female of the typical 

 species, D. flavacens, only recently discovered, being apterous, and nearly three times the size ot the male. 

 M. Mielzinsky has lately observed the transformations of this species, the larva of which feeds upon the common 

 snail. Helix nemuraVis, Linn., and resembles that of a Glow-worm ; but the sides of the abdomen have a row of 

 conical tubercles, and two scries of pencils of hairs. Not having traced the transformations of the other sex, 

 M. Mielzinsky regarded the female as forming a distinct genus, which he named Cochleoctonus. 



All the other species belonging to this section or division of the Lampi/rides are winged, and their maxillary 

 palpi are not much longer than the labial. 



Telcplwrus, Schajff'. ; Cantharis, Linn., has the palpi terminated by a hatchet-shaped joint, and the thorax has 

 not lateral notches. The species are carnivorous, and crawl about on plants. Cantharis fitsca, Linn., is one of 

 the commonest species of this numerous group, [which are called Soldiers and Sailors by children]. Its larva is 

 subcylindric, elongated, soft, and of a velvety black colour ; the head is furnished with strong mandibles. Beneath 

 the terminal segment of the body is a fleshy tubercle, used in walking. It lives in damp earth, and feeds upon 

 prey. In certain years large spaces of ground in Sweden, covered with snow in tlie winter, have been observed 

 covered with great numbers of these larv.ne and otiier living insects, supposed to have been raised and transported 

 thither by violent gales of wind, whence the ori- in of insect rain, "pliiie d' insect cs." 

 iSilis, Meg., has the thorax notched at the sides behind. /S. tpinicollis, Charp, 



Mall/iiniis, Latr., has the palpi terminated by an ovoid joint, and the elytra are shorter than the abdomen. The 

 .species are very small, and are found upon plants. 



The third tribe of the Malacodermi, or the Melyrides, has the palpi generally filiform and short ; the 

 mandibles notched at the point ; the body generally long and narrow ; the head only covered at the 

 base by a flat or slightly convex thorax, which is generally square or oblong; the joints of the tarsi 

 arc entire; the ungues unidcntatc, or furnished with a menibiaiious appendage. The antennae are 

 mostly serrated or pectinated in some males. The majority are very agile, and are found upon leaves 

 of ilowcrs. This tribe, which is only a dismcmbcrmcut of the genera Cantharis and Dermestes, Linn., 

 composes that of Melyris, Fabr, 



Y\l. 59.— M:ile nr.d femnlc Glo\v-«orm. 



