DBA TH- WA TCHES. 93 



The Glow-Worms (Lampyris)* likewise distinguished by their capabi- 

 lity of emitting phosphorescent light. The males of our common species are 

 not particularly remarkable, but the females, which are without wings, are 

 highly luminous. The light which they emit issues from the hinder part of 

 i heir abdomen, and the insect can vary its intensity at pleasure. This faculty 

 of emitting light is one of the most puzzling circumstances in their history 

 nor is it easy to conjecture what end it serves. The suggestion, frequently 

 advanced, that its purpose is to guide the winged male to the apterous female 

 in the darkness of the night, is by no means a satisfactory explanation ; for, 

 besides the fact that other nocturnal insects need no such aid, in many species 

 of the genus both sexes are luminous, and both furnished with wings. The 

 light of these foreign species as, for example, the Lucciole of Italy, and the 

 Fire-flies of North America far surpasses the feeble glimmer of our own, and 

 when the air is filled with myriads of them intersecting each other's path in 

 every direction, the scene is one of indescribable beauty. 



The Death- Watches (Ptimis}^ are a race of small insects, often for- 

 midable on account of the ravages they commit upon our property. Many 

 species of this genus inhabit the interior of our houses, 

 \vhere k in their larva condition, they cause much damage 

 by boring into wood. Nothing of a vegetable nature comes 

 amiss to them planks, rafters, beams, chairs, and tables, 

 and even books, all fall a prey to their hungry industry: 

 they bore them through and through with holes as sharply 

 cut as if they had been drilled with the finest instruments. 

 Some devote their special energies to farinaceous sub- 

 stances, and devour the very wafers in our desks ; others, 

 more formidable still to the naturalist, attack our collec- FlG 8l _D E M-H- 

 nons of birds and insects, and commit sad havoc in our WATCH UEETLK. 

 j.-useums. 



In some species both sexes, by way of calling their mates, are in the habit 

 f.f rapping sharply and quickly with their mandibles upon the wood that they 

 irequent, and replying to each other in the same manner. Ihe noise thus 

 produced, which somewhat resembles the ticking of a watch, has gained for 

 them, from the ignorant and superstitious, the name of the " Death-watch/' 

 by which they are familiarly known. 



The fourth tribe of Coleopterous Pentamerans is distinguished 

 by having the antennae dilated towards their extremity, or club- 

 shaped, hence they have received the name of Clavicornes.* 

 They all, in their larva condition, devour animal substances, but 

 the perfect insects seem to indulge in a more general diet. They 

 are the living dust-carts of creation, and nothing is too despicable 

 or too offensive for their appetite. Among them we need only 

 mention 



The Carrion Beetles (Silpha\\ which live exclusively on putrefying 

 carrion, and 



The Sexton Beetles (Necrophorus]:\ whose duty is to bury and get rid 



* \a/j.iri'pis, lampuris, a glffw-morm. ~\~ TTTCVOS, ptenos, wtMgfd. 



+ Clava, a club ; cornu, a horn; i.e., antenna. ai\<pTj, silphe, a black beetle 

 || vfKpos, necros, dead body ; 05/9os, phoros, carrying. 



