BURYING-BEETLES: EXPERIMENTS 79 



their backs, and the load progresses a finger's-breadth 

 towards the point recognized as favorable. Have they 

 done the trick this time? No, for after a while the 

 Mouse recoils. No progress towards a solution of the 

 difficulty. 



Now two males come out in search of information, 

 each of his own accord. Instead of stopping at the point 

 already sounded, a point most judiciously chosen, it 

 seemed, on account of its proximity, which would save 

 laborious transportation, they precipitately scour the 

 whole area of the cage, sounding the soil on this side and 

 on that and plowing superficial furrows in it. They get 

 as far from the brick as the limits of the enclosure permit. 



They dig, by preference, against the base of the cover; 

 here they make several borings, without any reason, so 

 far as I can see, the bed of soil being everywhere equally 

 assailable away from the brick ; the first point sounded is 

 abandoned for a second, which is rejected in its turn. A 

 third and a fourth are tried; then another and yet an- 

 other. At the sixth point the selection is made. In all 

 these cases the excavation is by no means a grave des- 

 tined to receive the Mouse, but a mere trial boring, of in- 

 considerable depth, its diameter being that of the digger's 

 body. 



A return is made to the Mouse, who suddenly quivers, 

 oscillates, advances, recoils, first in one direction, then in 

 another, until in the end the little hillock of sand is 

 crossed. Now we are free of the brick and on excellent 

 soil. Little by little the load advances. This is no cart- 



