70 TlMEHRI. 
acquainted. It does not give out any light after it is 
dead, but, if the luminous matter is taken from it 
immediately after death, and put upon paper, it will for 
a time shine like phosphorus. There are other lumi- 
nous species of this genus which give out their light in 
the same manner as the above, but all that I have seen 
in this part of the world are inferior to it in size and 
brilliancy. 
The Elater porcatus is even more bulky than the Elater 
already described. Its body is shining black, but this 
colouring is somewhat concealed by white and green 
scales. The under surface of its body and its legs are 
green if the scales have not been rubbed off them. Its 
elytra or wing-cases are deeply striated, and the furrows 
generally filled with white scales. I have watched it 
closely for hours in the dark, and never saw it give out 
any light. It is sometimes found on the trunks of trees, 
but it often flies slowly in mild weather with its body 
nearly perpendicular, and may be caught on the wing. 
The Lampyrides are a family of the Malacodermes 
(from malakos, soft, and derma, a skin) or soft-skinned 
Beetles, and includes the Lampyridae, Glow-worms and 
the Telephori, Soldier and Sailor Beetles. Lampyris is 
derived from the Greek verb lampein, to shine, and the 
glow-worm should be an obje6l of interest to English- 
men. Many of us must remember having read in our 
school-boy days the tale of the Nightingale and the 
Glow-worm. The Lampyrides resemble the Elaterides, 
but have more flexible wings and softer bodies, and are 
inferior to them in size. Their bodies are elongated, 
generally slender, and somewhat compressed. Their 
head is, as a rule, buried in the thorax; their antennae 
