BURYING-BEETLES: THE BURIAL 67 



matter where encountered, he is forced to dig the grave 

 where the body Hes. 



This obhgatory place of sepulture may be in stony soil; 

 it may occupy this or that bare spot, or some other where 

 the grass, especially the couch-grass, plunges into the 

 ground its inextricable network of little cords. There 

 is a great probability, too, that a bristle of stunted 

 brambles may support the body at some inches from the 

 soil. Slung by the laborers' spade, which has just broken 

 his back, the Mole falls here, there, anywhere, at ran- 

 dom; and where the body falls, no matter what the ob- 

 stacles — provided they be not insurmountable — there 

 the undertaker must utilize it. 



The difficulties of inhumation are capable of such 

 variety as causes us already to foresee that the Necro- 

 phorus cannot employ fixed methods in the accomplish- 

 ment of his labors. Exposed to fortuitous hazards, he 

 must be able to modify his tactics within the limits of his 

 modest perceptions. To saw, to break, to disentangle, 

 to lift, to shake, to displace : these are so many methods 

 of procedure which are indispensable to the grave-digger 

 in a predicament. Deprived of these resources, reduced 

 to uniformity of method, the insect would be incapable 

 of pursuing the calling which has fallen to its lot. 



We see at once how imprudent it would be to draw 

 conclusions from an isolated case in which rational co- 

 ordination or premeditated intention might appear to 

 intervene. Every instinctive action no doubt has its mo- 

 tive; but does the animal in the first place judge whether 

 the action is opportune ? Let us begin by a careful con- 



