The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1886-11-13
LIVING FIREWORKS.

The Brilliant Dhplay Witch Two Beetlss
Mads-Row Meteor" Brought . Dis-
mosd to Light.
A Cuban friend called on us one
evening last week, holding in his hand
a brown paper bag perforated with
small holes These breathing holes
suggesting to our pct-loving children
something alive" the gentleman
and paper-bag we're Immediately sur
rounded. The girls retreated upon
being told that the bag contained
flying fireworks that might ''ggo
off," but the boys boldly demanded a
sight of the new fireworks. A peep
into the bag caused every boy to draw
back with disguised face.
ugh! only two dead beetlcs.' n
youncster muttered. "A mea joke,
l say"
Here there was a scream from all the
children: THE bags a-tire!'
Truly the brown paper bag looked
as if ready to fall on the floor = heap
of flaming paper. But our Cuban
friend. As he rescued it from being
trampled on. coolly remarked:
The beetles are just opening their
stock of fireworks. Now put out the
gas aud we shall have a fine display"
The gas was turned down. and by
the intense. beautiful light that
streamed from the paper bag our faces
cleaned with a weird. greenish tinge.
and we could read the letters on the
newspaper in papa's hand. Those
two ugly beetles were the managers OF
this %pyrotechnic exhibition, for each
carried on his shoulders two brilliant
stars, from which shone a 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, a warm bath was provided
for our new pets, already named Meteor
and Comet. So they were gently
placed upon a mimic pond in an oyster
bowl, with a mimic rock island in the
center. 1t was a lovely sight, the
water becoming a sea of liquid fire;
and ~ the wonderful phosphorescent
light struck against the rock "a 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 a glass win
dow.
That night Meteor and Comet slept
in a ventilated ice-cream box, and a
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 e~lnters, commonly called skip.
Jacks, click-beetles. snap-beetles, etc.
names given them because OF a pc.
culiar way they have of unjointine
their spines with a clicking noise.
The legs of an elater beetle are SO short
that when turned on bis back he is Is
helpless as a capsized turtle; but nat
ure has provided for the poor bug q
springing-machine. The 'spine" tits
into a socket. and by bending the head
and thorax backward "A position
somewhat similar to standing on it
head-the beetle can withdraw the
spine from the socket, a sudden jerk
causing it to slip back with a SHARP
click, and with such force that the skip
jack is made to turn a 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 il
a box with glass sides, and 60 abou'
their work by the light OF this living
lamp. and Cuban beauties promenade
in the evening with flaming beetle.
! fastened in their glossy braidS