THE SACRED SCARAB^US. Ill 



ornaments. The reason for its sacred character, or at least one 

 of the reasons, we shall presently see. 



The mode of depositing its eggs is very remarkable. Our 

 British Beetles merely dig through the patch of cowdung, carry 

 some of it to the bottom of the hole, and therein lay a single 

 egg. In those places, however, where the Sacred Scarabteus 

 lives, such a proceeding is impossible, on account of the difference 

 of the soil. The earth of our pasture lands is comparatively 



^j^^^-r" 



Fig. 51. — Ateuchus sacer. 

 (Black.) 



soft and can be easily excavated, but, as a rule, in the country 

 inhabited by the Sacred Scarabseus, the earth is hard and stony, 

 so that the insect is obliged to search for a spot sufficiently soft 

 to allow her to excavate. It is necessary therefore that the 

 Beetle should be able to transport from place to place a sufficient 

 amount of the material on which the young larva is to feed, and 

 this she does in a very curious manner. 



Taught by instinct, she gathers together exactly so much of 

 the material as will give to the future young an ample sui)ply of 

 food, places in the midst an egg, works it into a rudely globular 

 form, and then proceeds on her travels in search of a spot in 

 which she can burrow. The mode of progression also is very 

 peculiar. Turning her back upon the ball, and grasping it with 



