GLOW-WORM. 
287 
to suppose them distinct species. No two in- 
sects can be more opposite. The male, a small 
cylindrical beetle, provided with wings and wing- 
cases, can rise into the air at pleasure ; the fe- 
male, a solitary creeping worm, denied the power 
of flight, must for ever remain upon the earth. It 
is she, however, to whom we are indebted for the 
beautiful glowing spot of light which shines with 
so much splendour in the calm evenings of our 
summer months. When the weather is favour- 
able many of these little lamps may be seen scat- 
tered about our meadows, or arranged along the 
bottoms of our hedges. The insect from whence 
this light proceeds is about three quarters of an 
inch in length, and has a body divided into ten 
joints ; the three last of which are of a pale sul- 
phur colour : a very small head projects from an 
oval breast-plate, and three slender legs are placed 
on each side the body. This general description 
will enable us to distinguish the insect in the 
day-time ; by night the object can never be mis- 
taken. 
It is generally acknowledged that the light 
emitted from the glow-worm’s tail is phosphoric, 
and that it is placed there in order to attract the 
attention of the male. Without some such com- 
pensation, how hard would be her lot ! The dis- 
similarity between the two sexes is very great ; 
their manners, perhaps, totally different : the male, 
a little, volatile, winged insect, might never be led 
