152 
NATURE’S CRAFTSMEN 
This strange creature flashes a red light at each 
end of the body, and a green light along the sides. 
Another South American beetle is a favorite 
among the natives as a hair ornament, because of 
its flashing yellow light. Certain luminous bee¬ 
tles and fireflies are imprisoned in punched 
gourds and cocoanut shells and used by various 
wild peoples in lieu of lanterns. As you may im¬ 
agine, however, these ingenious lanterns give lit¬ 
tle light. The click beetles, which you boys like 
to turn over on their backs for the mere fun of 
listening to them click as they right themselves, 
are other members of the beacon-bearer clan. 
Their larvse are the pestiferous wireworms which 
eat our potatoes, carrots, and beets, and do dam¬ 
age under the bark of trees. 
“ Most of the beacon-bearers are easily reared 
in captivity. Seems to me I never saw more of 
them abroad than are to be seen to-night. Their 
tiny lanterns are flashing everywhere. What do 
you say, boys, let’s get a few specimens.” 
