The Glow-Worm and Other Beetles 



long grappling-hooks, two sheet-anchors 

 which grip the female's shoulders, the fore- 

 edge of her corselet, or even her head. 



At this moment, the only moment that 

 counts in the adult insect's life, it is a good 

 thing indeed to possess long arms, long hands, 

 like Clythra longimana and C. longipes, as 

 the scientific nomenclature calls them. Al- 

 though their names are silent on the subject, 

 the Taxicorn Clythra and the Six-spotted 

 Clythra (C. sexmaculata, FAB.) and many 

 others also have recourse to the same means 

 of equilibrium : their fore-legs are utterly ex- 

 aggerated. 



Is the difficulty of pairing in a transversal 

 position the explanation of the long grap- 

 pling-irons thrown out to a distance ? We 

 will not be too certain, for here is the Four- 

 spotted Clythra, who would flatly contradict 

 us. The male has fore-legs of modest di- 

 mensions, in conformity with the usual rules; 

 he places himself crosswise like the others 

 and nevertheless achieves his ends without 

 hindrance. He finds it enough to modify 

 slightly the gymnastics of his embrace. The 

 same may be said of the different Crypto- 

 cephali, who all have stumpy limbs. Wher- 

 ever we look, we find special resources, known 

 to some and unknown to others. 

 462 



