422 THE WEST INDIAN FIRE BEETLE. 


















Our little owl became, at last, venturesome, wishing 
see the great outside world; and, flying out of his safe dom- — 
icil one night, he passed too near her cat, when the worth 
less beast killed the funny bird. : 

THE CUCUYO; OR, WEST INDIAN FIRE BEETLE. 
_ BY G. A. PERKINS, M. D. 

Bur few of the many thousands of organized beings that 
cover the earth are endowed with the power of becomi 
À f- luminous, and it is because their number 
so limited, and consequently that they 
so seldom under our observation, that 
wonder is so great upon beholding the 
About bm of all the animals (if we an 
of this poviet of shining. 
> these belong to the insects ; and a large pak 
| tion of hits insects belong to one gents: 
the laters, or snapping-beetles, some of 
which we find about our gardens in summer, 
though our species are not luminous. 
' The only light-bearing insects found in our own loea 
are of other genera, Photii, etc. ; this is the little firey 
which we find in damp fields or pastures on hot sumi 
nights. It is the male of this insect only that flies; © 
(etale | is wingless and but seldom seen; when found, Me 
ever, her light proves to be very much brighter than 

of her more active companions ; this wingless female a 
glowworm. The larva which closely resembles nl y. 
e sil 
is also luminous, and even the eggs are said to b 
so. We all remember these little sparkling mer on 
al 
the queer thoughts that often pass through our br 
