The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1886-11-20
"METEOR AND COMET"

The Brilliant Display Which Two Beetles
Made-How Meteor" Brought q Dia-
mond to Light.
A Cuban friend called on us one
evening last week, holding in his hand
brown paper bag perforated with
small holes. These breathing holes'
suggesting to our pet-loving children
" something alive" the gentleman
and paper-bag were Immediately sur
rounded The girls retreated upon
being told that the bag contained
flying fireworks that might ''go
off," but the boys boldly demanded a
sight of the new fireworks. A peep
into the bag caused every boy to draw
back with disgusted face.
ugh! only two dead beetles, one
youngster muttered. g. mean joke,
l say"
Here there was scream from all the
children: :" The bags a-tire!''
Truly the brown paper bag looked
as if ready to fall on the floor a heap
of flaming paper. But our Cuban
friend, as he rescued it from being
trampled on, coolly remarked:
1.-The beetles are just opening their
stock of fireworks. Now put out the
gas and we shall have fine display"
The gas was turned down, and by
the intense, beautiful light that
streamed from the paper bag our faces
cleaned with weird, greenish tinge,
and we could read the letters on the
newspaper in papa's hand. Those
two ugly beetles were the managers of
ohni 10 x-h1
carried on his shoulders two brilliant
stars, from which shone light almost
supernatural in its intensity, and the
beetles, constantly raising their wings,
as if to fly, showed their soft bodies
glowing like masses of living fire.
1t seemed impossible to realize that
no heat accompanied this radiant light,
and the children were SO afraid the
bag would take fire that, by advice of
our friend, warm bath was provided
for our new pets, already named Meteor
and Comet. So they were gently
placed upon mimic pond in an oyster
bowl, with mimic rock island in the
center 1t was lovely sight, the
water becoming a sea of liquid fire;
and as the wonderful phosphorescent
light struck against the rock Ga quartz
specimen), each diamond-cut crystal
flashed and sparkled with lovely pris-
matte colors.
When Meteor and Comet were tired
of their bath they leisurely climbed
upon the rock and went to sleep.
Their lamps went out, and again they
became ugly brown beetles, with only
two flattened yellow beads on their
shoulders to show where the light came
from. These spots looked like glass,
and the luminous body, when the
beetle is awake, seems to shine through
them like a flame through glass win
dow.
That night Meteor and Comet slept
in a ventilated ice-cream box, and
lunch of banana and brown sugar was
provided for them, in case they should
feel faint during the night. The Cuban
gentleman told us that these beetles
were elaterS, commonly called skip
jacks, click-beetles, snap-beetles, etc.
names given them because of pc
culiar way they have of unjointing
their spines with clicking noise.
The legs of an elater beetle are so short
that when turned on his back he is as
helpless as capsized turtle; but nat
ure has provided for the poor bug a
springing-machine. The "spine" fits
into socket, and by bending the head
and thorax backward - a position
somewhat similar TO, standing on its
head-the beetle can withdraw the
spine from the socket, a sudden jerk
causing it to slip back with sharp
click, and with such force that the skip
jack is made to turn complete sOmer-
sault in the air, the beetle, like the
''springing man" at the circus, expect
ing to fall on his feet. The women in
South America place several elaters in
a box with glass sides, and 90 about
their work by the light of this living
lamp, and Cuban beauties promenade
in the evening with flaming beetles
fastened in their glossy braids.
Meteor and Comet dearly love to
sleep in the daytime, and always when
we take out our ice-cream box to dis
play the fire-bugs, we find our pets ap-
parently dead. After several frights
we have learned to place the rogues
on their backs; and then it is funny to
see them wake up, one leg at time,
until all the legs and antenn@ are wav-
ing desperately about, fiery glow
coming from the exposed body and
bright shoulder lamps of each strug-
Cling victim. Then the skip-jacks
will try to stand on their heads, and
the children are always. delighted to
see our lady visitors jump as Meteor
and Comet with a sharp click turn a
somersault in the air, sometimes re-
peating this performance over and
over again, until they come down
right side up.
One evening we were all disconsolate
at the loss of Meteor, who, having
feigned death until we left him, had |
flown away. Fearing to miss a CLEAN
from cur pets lights, we had turned
out the gas, and the whole family
were down on their knees, looking un-
der chairs, tables and couches. A shout
from a child on an expedition under
the piano brought us all to the spot,
and there under the piano leg, snug
ly hidden against the castor, safe from
broom or duster, glistened a 'some-
thing" that not only dazzled our eyes,
but gladdened our hearts. This some !