THE SISYPHUS BEETLE 143 



The ball is soon ready. It must now be forced to 

 acquire, by means of a vigorous rolling, the crust which 

 will protect the interior from a too rapid evaporation. 

 The mother, recognisable by her slightly robuster body, 

 takes the place of honour in front. Her long hinder legs 

 on the soil, her forelegs on the ball, she drags it towards 

 her as she walks backwards. The father pushes behind, 

 moving tail first, his head held low. This is exactly the 

 method of the Scarabaeus beetles, which also work in 

 couples, though for another object. The Sisyphus 

 beetles harness themselves to provide an inheritance 

 for their larvae ; the larger insects are concerned in 

 obtaining the material for a banquet which the two 

 chance-met partners will consume underground. 



The couple set off, with no definite goal ahead, across 

 the irregularities of the soil, which cannot be avoided by 

 a leader who hauls backwards. But even if the Sisyphus 

 saw the obstacles she would not try to evade them : 

 witness her obstinate endeavour to drag her load up 

 the wire gauze of her cage ! 



A hopeless undertaking ! Fixing her hinder claws 

 in the meshes of the wire gauze the mother drags her 

 burden towards her ; then, enlacing it with her legs, she 

 holds it suspended. The father, finding no purchase for 

 his legs, clutches the ball, grows on to it, so to speak, 

 thus adding his weight to that of the burden, and awaits 

 events. The effort is too great to last. Ball and beetle 

 fall together. The mother, from above, gazes a moment 

 in surprise, and suddenly lets herself fall, only to re-em- 

 brace the ball and recommence her impracticable efforts 

 to scale the wall. After many tumbles the attempt is at 

 last abandoned. 



