166 
MONOGHAPII OF THK 
&c., they reside in ants'* nests. Afzelius states of P. sphoerocerus, 
that having (in January, 1796) entered upon a newly-erected 
residence, “ one evening, having just lighted my candle, and 
begun to write, I observed something dropping down from the 
ceiling before me upon the table. It remained for a little while 
quite immovable, as if stunned or frightened, but soon began to 
crawl very slowly and steadily.'*'* Sevei’al others were obtained by 
him in like manner, whence he “ concludes that it is a nocturnal 
animal, that it becomes benumbed by candlelight, that it lives in 
wood, and prefers new-built houses.*” * None were taken after 
February. Since the days of Afzelius, other captures, under 
similar circumstances, haA^e been recorded. 
Captain Boys, whose attention has been especially directed to 
the Indian species, and who has detected eight species, states, in 
his memoir above alluded to, that in flight the Paussi are 
exceedingly easy and agile; the lower wing, when expanded, 
being in comparison to the size of the insect, of large dimensions ; 
and when they alight, the movement is so sudden, and the elytra 
are closed so instantaneously over the lower A\dngs, that they 
appear as having dropped down to the spot on Avhich they rest, 
and Avhere they generally remain several seconds previous to again 
attempting to move (fads which I have also remarked as practised by 
many Cardbici). Its walk, however, entirely differs from that of 
this last-mentioned genus ; for instead of being nimble, and occa¬ 
sionally rapid, I have never seen it moving but in a slow and 
sedate manner, at which time the antenme are extended to the 
front of the head, and to these is occasionally given an upward 
vibratory motion,-On being seized, they emit from the anus 
a very acrid liquid, accompanied hy an explosion, and attended 
with a strong seent, resembling that pi’oduced by Bracbini and 
other allied genera when similarly treated; and although in 
minuter quantities, it is abundantly sufficient to produce a very 
sensible heat, and the crepitation may be distinctly heard and felt. 
IVherever the skin has been subjected to its action, discoloration 
immediately ensues, of a reddish-brown colour, which soon after 
turns to a brownish black, resembling the stain produced by the 
touch ol caustic, and which remains permanently fixed for many 
days after. The explosion is repeated three or four times succes- 
* Linn. Trans, iv., p, 261. 
