202 Mr. P. H. Gosse on the Insects of Jamaica, 
the insect is sweeping in rapid, headlong, irregular curves over 
the fields or along the edges of the forests ; when the appearance 
resembles that of a stick with the end on fire (but not in flame) 
carried or whirled along by one running swiftly, quenched sud- 
denly after a course of a dozen yards, to appear again at a similar 
distance. When slowly flying over the grass, the progress of one 
may often be traced by the red glare on the ground beneath ; a 
space of about a yard square being brightly illuminated, when 
no light at all reaches the spectator's eye from the body of the 
insect. 
Whether any light would appear pervading the abdomen if 
the segments were stretched, 1 cannot positively say, for I have 
not in my journal any note on this point. I think not, however ; 
for in my repeated handlings of these insects and experiments 
on their abdomens, I could scarcely have avoided extending the 
segments, even unintentionally ; but I am quite certain I never 
saw any light except in the one ventral and the two thoracic 
spots. If one be trodden on, a mass of mixed light remains for 
some minutes among the fragments. The story told by Peter 
Martyr of these Elaters having been hunted for, to eat the mos- 
quitoes is sufficiently amusing ; of course it is not right to con- 
tradict a statement because one has never verified it, but I may 
be permitted to observe that I utterly disbelieve it. That they 
might afford a substitute for candles in performing household 
operations that required no great exactness, is certainly true, 
provided they were constantly carried in the fingers ; but if put 
under a glass, or allowed liberty in a room, as I have abundantly 
proved, they very quickly conceal their light. I have found too, 
that one kept beneath a glass would display very little light the 
next evening, even under the excitement of being handled, and 
on the following night would be irrecoverably dark : this may 
have resulted from the lack of food or of exercise, not I think 
from the lack of air or of moisture. 
About the middle of May a larva of an Elateridous beetle was 
brought to me which was luminous ; in the dark the whole insect 
was pellucid, but the divisions of the segments showed distinct 
light, blue and pale, not very vivid. It was impatient of being 
handled, and bit fiercely at the hand, but ineffectually. I suspect 
that it was the larva of this firefly : the specimen is now in the 
British Museum. 
33. Agrypnus (sp. nov.). A single specimen occurred ; taken 
on the 4th of June at Sabito. 
34. Ectinus (sp. nov.). Taken at Belmont early in June. 
35. Limonius ? (sp. nov.). Hauipstead Road, late in June. 
36 to 38. Sphcerocephalus (three species, minute). 
[To be continued.] 
