232 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
distance of some yards, and is therefore difficult to capture unless by over- 
taking the fugitives and sweeping with a net in the observed direction. 
They then exhibit a casual glare as they crawl about within. As to the 
contemporaneous flashes of myriads, such as are more frequently con- 
gregated on the calmest nights, surrounding objects, previously involved in 
obscurity, become suddenly illuminated as if by electricity, and as rapidly 
plunged in their antecedent gloom at alternate intervals. He could not 
concur in the hypothesis that currents of air had any connexion with such 
displays or occultations, when not a breath was stirring around; nor 
that these manifestations might be evoked by sexual influences, amid vast 
hosts instigated to combine therein and act in unison. He would rather 
attribute this phenomenon to an inherent tendency to emit their light from 
time to time, requiring a certain period of repose to recruit their powers ; 
and when any thus surcharged felt intuitively inspired to take the initiative, 
the others—prompted to obey a corresponding impulse— followed such 
example in responsive sequence. He confirmed Mr. Gorham’s remarks as to 
the luminous segments of the abdomen being diaphanous and recognizable, 
adding that their luminosity was retractile and of a quivering character, 
with alternations of a golden lustre, differing from the phases exhibited 
when disporting in mid-air. 
The Rev. A. E. Eaton remarked that while the subject of insect 
luminosity was under discussion, it might be interesting to mention that 
Dr. Hagen, in a paper published in the ‘ Transactions’ of the Society for 
1873 (p. 399), had stated that a species of Ephemeride (Canis dimidiata) 
had been sent to him by Prof. Zaddach as a luminous insect, two males 
having been captured at night near Pillau “ giving a small blue light.” 
Mr. Meldola stated that Mr. Thomas Belt, in his well-known ‘ Naturalist 
in Nicaragua’ (p. 320), had expressed his belief that the luminosity of the 
Lampyrid@ played the same part as the bright colours of many caterpillars, 
i.e., that it served as a danger signal, warning nocturnal foes of the 
inedibility of the species of this family, which he had found to be generally 
distasteful to birds, &c. Their immunity from persecution is also testified 
by the fact that the species of this family are very frequently mimicked by 
other beetles, and even by iusects of other orders. 
Mr. C. M. Wakefield communicated a paper by Mr. R. W. Fereday, 
entitled ‘‘ Description of a new Species of the Family Leucanide and a new 
Species of the Genus Chlenias”; Mr. A. G. Butler communicated a paper 
“On Synonyms of Heterocerous Lepidoptera”; Mr. C. O. Waterhouse com- 
municated “ Descriptions of Cetoniida and Cerambycide from Madagascar.” 
—R. Metpora, Hon. Sec. 
