268 Mr. P. H. Gosse on the Insects of Jamaica. 
XXVI. — On the Insects of Jamaica. By Philip Henry Gosse. 
[Continued from p. 202.] 
39. Calopteron bicolor. On the trees at the forest-edge, on 
each side of the Hampstead Road, this Lycus was excessively 
abundant in June 1845 and 1846, particularly in the latter year. 
Hundreds, I should judge, were sometimes on a single small tree. 
They rested principally on horizontal branches from the height 
of ten feet upwards. 
40. Pygolampis xanthophotis* (mihi). 
41. Photuris versicolor. 
42 to 53. Twelve other species of LampyricUB, all luminous. 
The fire-flies of the tropics have been often described. Thi 
Lampyridie are, in Jamaica, far more abundant than Pyrophori 
noctilucus. At all times, their sparks, of various degrees of in 
tensity, according to the size of the species, are to be seen, fitfuU; 
gleaming by scores about the margins of woods, and in open an< 
cultivated places. Photuris versicolor, a large species with drab 
coloured elytra, I found abroad soon after my arrival, in Dt 
cember. One flying around the house, in the evening, I wa 
struck with its swift and headlong flight and nearly permanen 
luminosity, which was much more brilliant than that of any spe 
cies which I had at that time seen. 
The large Pygolampis, to which, for precision's sake (as I hav 
a note concerning it), I have given a name, I did not meet with 
until May, when one flew into the house at Bluefields in the 
evening ; and two nights afterwards I observed it rather nume- 
rous on the very sea-beach at Sabito. It was conspicuous for the 
intensity of its light, much exceeding that of Photuris versicolor. 
Sometimes it is only the last segment but two that shows lumi- 
nosity, but when excited the whole hinder part of the abdomen 
is lighted up with a dazzling glare. 
It is in the woods of St. Elizabeth's, in the month of June, that 
I have seen the Lampyridce in their glory ; and particularly along 
the road leading up the mountain from Shrewsbuiy to Contend 
where it is cut through the tall forest, which overhangs it on 
each side, making it sombre even by day, and casting an impe- 
netrable gloom over the scene by night. The darkness here, 
however, and especially at one point, a little dell, which is most 
obscm-e, is studded thick with fire-flies of various species, among 
* This fine species may be thus described. Length 9 lines ; breaddk 
of lines. Elytra smoke-black; thorax drab, the central portion dark brown; 
abdomen pale, the last three or four segments cream-white. Specimens io 
Brit. Mus. 
Mr. P. H. Gosse on the Insects of Jamaica. 269 
which the two large ones above-named are conspicuous. I have 
delighted to watch and study their habits in this lonely spot, 
v^'hile the strange sounds, snorings, screeches, and ringings, of 
nocturnal reptiles and insects, sounds unheard by day, were 
coming up from every part of the deep forest around, giving an 
almost unearthly character to the scene. 
Pijgolampis xanthophotis is seen only in flight : its light is of 
a rich orange-colour when seen abroad, but when viewed in the 
light of a candle appears yellow. It is not of so deep a tint as 
the abdominal light of Pyrophorus noctilucus. It is intermittent. 
Phuturis versicolor is noticeable by its frequent resting on a 
twig or leaf in the woods, when it will gradually increase the in- 
tensity of its light till it glows like a torch ; then it gradually 
fades to a spark, and becomes quite extinct : it thus remains un- 
seen for some time, but in about a minute, or, it may be, two, it 
will begin to appear, and gradually increase to its former blaze ; 
then fade again ; strongly reminding the beholder of a revolving 
light at sea. The light of this species is of a brilliant green hue. 
I have seen a passing Pyg. xanthophotis, attracted by the glow 
of a stationary Phot, versicolor, fly up and play around it ; when 
the intermingling of the green and orange rays had the same 
charming appearance as the two lights of Pyrophorus noctilucus 
noticed in the preceding part of this memoir. 
The smaller species have, some yellow, some green light : I 
have noticed only these two colours in the luminosity of such 
Lampyrida as I have observed. 
Pygolampis xanthophotis, when held in the fingers, will fre- 
quently illuminate the antepenultimate segment of the abdomen, 
over which the light plays fitfully, sometimes momentarily 
clouded, more or less, but generally saturated, as it were, with 
most brilliant efi'ulgence. This species occasionally comes in at 
open windows at night, but much more rarely than Photuris ver- 
sicolor and the smaller kinds, a dozen or more of which may be 
seen almost every night, especially at Content, crawling up the 
walls or flitting around the room and beneath the ceiling. 
. At Content, in the latter part of July, t found in fresh-turned 
earth a larva of a Lampyris, small and lengthened : the abdomen 
was furnished with a retractile brush of divergent filaments, or- 
(hnarily concealed ; but having no lens with me I could not ex- 
amine it particularly. 
54. Nitidula (sp. nov.). Found with a Philonthus, rather 
numerous, in the centre of decaying rose-apples {Eugenia jarnbos) 
on the Hampstcad Road in June. 
55. Dermestes lardarius. Probably introduced. Sadly abun- 
dant in the skins of my preserved birds, at all times. 
56. Helops (sp. near celcstinus). A single specimen found on 
270 Mr. L. Reeve on the Habits and 
the ground, on Grand Vale Mountain, St. Elizabeth^s, early in 
June. 
57. Diaperis? (sp. nov.). Found at New Forest, near Alli- 
gator Pond, where the singular honey-combed limestone is the 
common rock. It was in December. 
58. Rhipiphorus (sp. nov.). A single specimen taken in June, 
on the Hampstead Road : it was resting between two leaves of a 
shrub. 
59. Mordella (sp.). 
60. Tenebrio (sp,). Common under heaps of stones in Blue 
fields pasture. 
61. Upis (sp. nov.). 
62. Attelabiis (sp. nov. very near aureolus, Klug). This pretti 
little insect was veiy numerous in June on the Hampstead Roadj 
and it occurred also at the same season on Bluefields Mountain. 
We invariably found the specimens resting on the leaves of tree 
that overhung the road, and for the most part about ten or fifteei 
feet from the ground. They were apt to fall off on the slightest 
alarm. It has an odd appearance, as if it were but two-legged^ 
from the great development of the anterior pair of legs. The 
spot on each elytron is golden during life, but after death fades tc 
a dull drab hue. 
[To be continued.] 
XXVII. — On the Habits and Geographical Distribution of Buli- 
raus, a genus of Air-breathing Mollusks. By Lovell Reeve, 
F.L.S. 
The beautiful forms and varieties of shells produced by those 
air-breathing mollusks, which, under the generic appellation of 
Bulimus, constitute an important division of the great tribe of 
Snails, have become objects of especial interest to the concholo- 
gist, owing to the zeal with which a few enterprising scientific ti-a- 
vellers have lately penetrated into tropical countries in pursuit 
of them. It is, however, to the productive exertions of Mr. 
Cuming that we are mainly indebted for the newer and more 
attractive species. The researches of this ardent naturahst in 
the arid plains on the west side of the Andes, in the dense woods 
of West Columbia and Central America, and more recently in 
the luxuriant open forests of the Philippine Islands, whilst they 
present an instructive contrast, exceed any result the most san- 
guine collector could have anticipated. In the dry and barren 
regions of Western Chili and Peru, the Bulimi are mostly small, 
and of comparatively fragile structure ; but in the beautiful islands 
of the Eastern Archipelago, where climate and vegetation com-