LiaHT-OITING COLEOl'TEUOUS LAllVA. 75 



his paper at dusk ; and he observed that its globular antennae were 

 phosphorescent, and that it bore them before it like lamps to light 

 it on its way. Those who are fond of tracing the adaptation 

 of structure to condition of life, have thought that this was an 

 instance to the point ; for the other Paussi are inhabitants of Ants' 

 nests ; and if we might judge of their feelings by our own, it would 

 no doubt be very convenient to have such a pair of carriage-lamps 

 permanently borne in front, without, what now forms the burden of 

 our cabmen's complaint, expense for oil, risk of breakage, or trouble 

 of cleaning. But in addition to our ignorance of the true wants 

 and feelings of these little creatures, it so happens that the 

 species which Afzelius saw and figured has never since been met 

 with ; and the phosphorescence of the antennae, either of it nor of 

 any other Paussus, has yet been confirmed. If we deduct it, we 

 only know the Pireflies and Glowworms as light-givers among 

 Beetles. Of both of these, many species have been described, and 

 doubtless many more remain to be discovered ; and I should never 

 have dreamed of treating the occurrence of merely a new species 

 of a known type as a matter of any special interest. But it is 

 different with a new type, or the unknown larval form of a known 

 type. 



The difilculty which I have in dealing with it is that it is very 

 doubtful that we really do know the Lirva of the Firefly. The 

 larvae of the Glowworms we know perfectly. They live in the open 

 air, and their light betrays them. Plate I. fig. 9 is a representa- 

 tion of the larva of one of them (Photuris versicolor), which I 

 have selected as being perhaps a fairer representation of the Glow- 

 worm of Brazil than our Lampyris would have been ; and it will 

 at once be seen that the larva I have now to describe (see Plate I. 

 figs. 1 & 2) is not one of that Glowworm ; nor is it of any one I 

 know. The larvae of the Fireflies, on the other hand, we may pre- 

 sume do not live in the open air. Like the rest of the Elateridae 

 (to which family they belong), they live in the heart of rotten 

 timber, or otherwise bury themselves in vegetable tissues. Living 

 specimens of the perfect insect have been found in rotten wood, 

 and sent home in it to this country, which they have reached alive. 

 One would think, from analogy with the Glowworm, that, if the 

 larva of the Firefly had been observed, it would readily have 

 been recognized from being phosphorescent ; for not only is the 

 female of the Glowworm luminous, but also the male ; and 

 tlie larva), and even the eggs, are said to be faintly phos- 



