The Glow-Worm and Other Beetles 



dustily, in a corner of my library. I extract 

 from them the following details concerning 

 the Cantharides. I am not the first, I know, 

 to describe the amorous preludes of the 

 Meloid of the Ash-tree; but the change of 

 narrator may give the narrative a certain 

 value : it confirms what has already been said 

 and throws light upon some points which may 

 have escaped notice. 



A female Cantharides is peacefully nib- 

 bling her leaf. A lover comes upon the 

 scene, approaches her from behind, suddenly 

 mounts upon her back and embraces her with 

 his two pairs of hind-legs. Then with his 

 abdomen, which he lengthens as much as 

 possible, he energetically slaps that of the 

 female, on the right side and the left by turns. 

 It is like the strokes of a washerwoman's bat, 

 delivered with frenzied rapidity. With his 

 antennae and his fore-legs, which remain 

 free, he furiously lashes the neck of the vic- 

 tim. While the blows fall thick as hail, in 

 front and behind, the head and corselet of 

 the amorous swain are shaken by an ex- 

 travagant swaying and trembling. You 

 would think that the creature was having an 

 epileptic fit. 



Meanwhile, the beloved makes herself 

 small, opening her wing-cases slightly, hiding 

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