THE SACRED BEETLE 



his fore-legs, moving backwards with his head down and 

 his hind-quarters in the air. He pushes his load behind 

 him by alternate thrusts to right and left. One would 

 expect him to choose a level road, or at least a gentle in- 

 cline. Not at all! Let him find himself near some 

 steep slope, impossible to climb, and that is the very path 

 the obstinate creature will attempt. The ball, that enor- 

 mous burden, is painfully hoisted step by step, with in- 

 finite precautions, to a certain height, always backwards. 

 Then by some rash movement all this toil is wasted: 

 the ball rolls down, dragging the Beetle with it. Once 

 more the heights are climbed, and another fall is the 

 result. Again and again the insect begins the ascent. 

 The merest trifle ruins everything; a grass-root may trip 

 him up or a smooth bit of gravel make him slip, and 

 down come ball and Beetle, all mixed up together. Ten 

 or twenty times he will start afresh, till at last he is 

 successful, or else sees the hopelessness of his efforts 

 and resigns himself to taking the level road. 



Sometimes the Scarab seems to enter into partnership 

 with a friend. This is the way in which it usually hap- 

 pens. When the Beetle's ball is ready he leaves the 

 crowd of workers, pushing his prize backwards. A 

 neighbour, whose own task is hardly begun, suddenly 

 drops his work and runs to the moving ball, to lend a 

 hand to the owner. His aid seems to be accepted 



[13] 



