
426 THE WEST INDIAN FIRE BEETLE. 



















light. The spots, from which issue the luminosity, are not 
situated upon the head, as most persons suppose on seeing 
them, but upon the sides of the thorax, or middle portion of — 
the body, and also from a spot on the abdomen just below 
the insertion of the last pair of legs, where the abdomen and — 
thorax join. This abdominal spot is not so frequently seen — 
to be illuminated as the spots on the thorax, but when the — 
insect is about to fly, or when, by accident, it gets upon is 
back, this part gives out light of tenfold intensity. The side 4 
lights are oval and convex, standing out laterally, and are — 
hard and horny externally; but this is only a very thin and — 
transparent protection to the luminous matter that fills them. 4 
When not shining, they are of a dirty white or light-brown — 
color. E 
They are really lanterns, and, as such, serve to light the 
insect on his nocturnal rambles. It is worthy of notice that 
these lanterns are so placed that the light from them new | 
enters the eye of the beetle directly, but only when reflected — 
from surrounding objects ; in fact, they are placed just as Wè 
place lanterns upon our carriages, and for the same reas «3 
that the light may not shine into the eyes of the driver a 
dazzle and confound him, but only upon objects before aM — 
around him, from contact with which he might be in danger. 
This light also serves to attract their friends, as I have 
occasion to notice while a number of them were upon die 
wing together in a dark room. While flying, their light 
seemed to arouse their companions, who soon joined m 
and we enjoyed the rare sight, at least in this region of 
globe, of seeing several of these flying about my room Er 
time; they seemed to play as flies do during the hot a 
summer. When preparing for flight, they appear quite 
uf 
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Ps 
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Sait 
their side lights glowing with great brilliancy, but 
by the spot beneath; the elytra, or hard horny © aapt 
cover their gauze-like wings, now swing upon ax 
