

THE WEST INDIAN FIRE BEETLE. 429 
4 or August. As this period draws to a close, they lose much 
oof their vigor, their power of illumination grows less, even 
their bath fails to arouse them, and it wholly ceases just 
_ before death takes place. 
a The treatment which I have found to be most successful in 
a Keeping them in health, is that which imitates as nearly as 
2 possible their condition in their own climate. There they 
, feed upon the sweet juices of the cane which they find acci- 
g dentally bruised (for they have no organs for wounding the 
_ Plant), being frequently drenched by the warm tropical show- 
ers, flying about briskly for a few hours only during the early 
evening, and hiding under the dark damp foliage during the — 
day. And to give them, as nearly as possible, the same con- 
ditions, I bathe them with tepid water, feed them on weak 
‘rup upon slices of cane, giving them their food in the 
ening, and, during the day keep them in an open-work 
basket, covered with ‘fresh damp clover-leaves. 
In my collection were insects of various sizes, but I was 
















though they ate well. Being perfect insects, it is doubtful if 
“ley require much nourishment, but only a sufficient amount 
"e moisture to make good the loss by respiration and tran- 
Spiration ; the sugar, perhaps, giving it a relish, or, it may 
Dout them. As the period of their life during which they 
feed most freely is confined to the larva stage, like other 
sects, it is only during this time that they increase in size. 
l no mention in any work of the nature of the food of 
the larvee of this particular species of Elater; but some of 
“it cousins are said to be very destructive to the roots of 
Plants, particularly of the grasses. : 
~" €xamination of the peculiar matter upon which their 
Power of luminosity depends, or in which it manifests itself, 
WS it to be composed, in a very large portion, of fut, a 
ch are found some air-tubes and a very large supply of 
