370 SUPPLEMENT 



lampyris appears to adopt another method of getting rid 

 of its skin, which is cleft on each side of the body, through 

 the full extent of the first three rings. The upper part of 

 these rings is detached altogether from the under, and the 

 larva draws its head out of the skin wliich covers it, pretty 

 nearly in the same manner as one would draw his hand out 

 of a purse. The two lateral clefts give a very spacious 

 aperture to the insect, to issue from the old skin, and it 

 brings this easily about in the course of a few minutes by 

 contracting and elongating the rings of the abdomen alter- 

 nately. 



As soon as the larva is disengaged from its skin, it 

 bends the body into an arch or semi-circle, and is then in its 

 true state of nymph ; but it is still observed to move and 

 elongate the head as well as the antennas and feet, but slowly. 

 It also gives some motion to its body. 



The observations of Degeer prove that the female lam- 

 pyris shines in the larva state, and in that of the nymph, as 

 well as in that of the perfect insect, which proves that Nature 

 has not endowed it with this faculty, principally for the 

 purpose of attracting the male, as some authors have sup- 

 posed. Nevertheless, it certainly appears that the male 

 takes advantage of this light to lead him to the female. 



The females of the European lampyrides observed by 

 Degeer lay a great number of eggs on the turf or grass on 

 which they live. These eggs are endued with a viscous 

 matter, which serves to fix them upon the plants. Their 

 shell is nothing but a soft and flexible skin, so that the 

 slightest touch will crush them. 



We may insert here three new genera, viz. : — 



7" Calyptocephalus. The antennae long, bipectinated, with 



the laminae long, slender ; hairy on the sides. The mandibles 



slender, simple, rather curved, and hairy. The labrum long 



and rounded. The maxillary palpi, with the last joint, large 



