130 THE LIFE AND LOVE OF THE INSECT 



air who have not yet settled down ; and is he, then, not 

 forgetful of his first mate and readj^ for divorce ? The 

 question deserved to be examined. I tried to solve it 

 in the manner that follows. 



Two couples are taken from the ground at a time when 

 the excavations are in full swing. Indelible marks, con- 

 trived with the point of a needle on the lower edge of the 

 elytra, will enable me to distinguish them one from the 

 other. The four subjects of my experiment are distributed 

 at random, one by one, over the surface of a sandy area 

 a couple of spans thick. A soil of this depth will be 

 sufficient for the excavations of a night. In case pro- 

 visions should be needed, a handful of sheep-droppings 

 is served. A large reversed earthen pan covers the arena, 

 prevents escape and produces the darkness favourable to 

 mental concentration. 



The next morning provides a splendid response. There 

 are two burrows in the establishment, no more ; the 

 couples have formed again as they were : each Jack has 

 his Jill. A second experiment, made next day, and a 

 third meet with the same success : those marked with a 

 point are together, those not marked are together, at the 

 bottom of the gaUery. 



Five times more, day after day, I make them set up 

 house anew. Thmgs now begin to be spoilt. Sometimes, 

 each of the four that are being experimented on settles 

 apart ; sometimes, the same burrow contains the two 

 males or the two females ; sometimes, the same crypt 

 receives the two sexes, but differently associated from 

 what they were at the start. I have abused my powers 

 of repetition. Henceforth disorder reigns. My daily 

 shufflings have demoralized the burrowers ; a crumbling 

 nome, always requiring to be begun afresh, has put an 



