310 THE ZOOLOGIST. 





conclude that, because milk is found in the breast of a new-born 

 babe (a singular fact, best known to every nurse), when it cannot 

 be required to give suck, therefore the same child is not to give 

 suck when she has become a woman, and has children of her own.* 

 The light of the Glowworm proceeds from a lantern in the under 

 side of the tail, protected by a transparent skin. The researches 

 of such an anatomist as Swammerdam would probably find a dark 

 shutter or slide between the glass of the lantern and the lamp 

 within, moveable at the pleasure of the insect. If you crush a 

 Glowworm while it is shining, the light will smear about exactly 

 like that of the Centipede. I have never tried the experiment by 

 day, or at times when they do not shine. The Glowworm appears 

 to know, by an unerring instinct, the proper time for it to begin 

 its exhibition, which is shortly after sunset. I have repeatedly 

 kept them all day long in a dark cellar without being able, by 

 the gloom or the coldness, to make them withdraw their curtain ; 

 but on returning in the evening, I have found them glittering as 

 brightly as in their native copse. The best way to keep them in 

 confinement is to have a live turf at the bottom of a glass globe. 

 All day long they remain hidden close to the earth, but at the 

 appointed hour of evening they will mount the blades of grass as 

 high as they will bear them, turn up the ends of their tails, and 

 display a splendour more steady and beautiful than either gas or 

 camphine. The duration of their performance is very variable, 

 sometimes not more than half an hour, sometimes till what the 

 Scotch call the ' sma' hours.' Whether this depends upon the 

 weather or the health of the creature, is best known to itself. 

 After a while, also variable, they lay their eggs among the turf, 

 and themselves in the dust, to shine no more. So briefly perish 

 these stars of the earth, in fit contrast with those of heaven, 

 glittering as they do, through ages upon ages, with undimmed 

 and never-tiring lustre." 



It is curious that among all the suggestions which have been 

 offered to account for the luminosity of the worm we find no 

 mention of the use of phosphorescence for protection. When 

 the water was agitated, Von Stein's worm became luminous. 

 Was not that protective ? The enemy of the Centipede, Glow- 

 worm, or annelid would fear the fire, and keep at a respectful 



* An illustration and argument drawn from Kirby and Spence. 



