22 THE LIFE AND LOVE OF THE INSECT 



delight the children's tribe. The bulk varies within 

 narrow limits. The largest dimensions are 45 milli- 

 metres in length by 30 millimetres in width ;^ the smallest 

 are 35 millimetres by 28.^ 



Without being as polished as stucco, the surface, which 

 is absolutely regular, is carefully smoothed under a thin 

 layer of red earth. At first, when of recent construction, 

 soft as potter's clay, the pyriform loaf soon, in the 

 course of desiccation, acquires a stout crust that refuses 

 to yield under the pressure of fingers. Wood itself is no 

 harder. This bark is the defensive wrapper which 

 isolates the recluse from this world and allows him to 

 consume his victuals in profound peace. But, should 

 desiccation reach the central mass, then the danger 

 becomes extremely serious. We shall have occasion to 

 return to the woes of the grub exposed to^a diet of too- 

 stale bread. 



What dough does the Scarab's bake-house use ? Who 

 are the purveyors ? The mule and the horse ? By no 

 means. And yet I expected to find it so — and so 

 would everybody — at seeing the insect draw so eagerly, 

 for its own use, upon the plentiful garner of an ordinary 

 lump of dung. For that is where it habitually manu- 

 factures the rolling ball which it goes and consumes in 

 some underground retreat. 



Whereas coarse bread, crammed with bits of hay, is 

 good enough for the mother, she becomes more dainty 

 where her family are concerned. She now wants fine 

 pastry, rich in nourishment and easily digested ; she now 

 wants the ovine manna : not that which the sheep of a 

 dry habit scatters in trails of black olives, but that which, 



* 1"8 X 1"4 inches. — Translator's Note. 

 2 1'4 X I'l inches. — Translator's Note. 



