508 PRIVATE LIVES OF INSECTS. 



may be seen in the Russian burying-places, either buzzing 

 about the graves, or sitting placidly at the mouths of their 

 burrows, which lead into them. 



The burying beetle in this country seldom finds so conve- 

 nient a provision for him, and he is under the necessity of 

 taking much more trouble ; he sometimes avails himself of 

 dead dogs or horses, but these are far too great rarities to be 

 his constant resort. The common objects of his search are dead 

 mice, rats, birds, frogs, and moles ; of these a bird is the most 

 commonly obtained. In the neighbourhood of towns, every 

 kind of garbage that is thrown out attracts these beetles as soon 

 as it begins to smell ; and it is not unusual to see them settling 

 in our streets, enticed by the grateful odours of such sub- 

 stances. The burying beetles hunt in couples, male and 

 female ; and when six or eight are found in a large animal, 

 they are almost sure to be males and females in equal numbers. 

 They appear to hunt by the nose only, their movements being 

 mostly made in the night, when the faculty of sight is of but 

 little service. 



Now to the bulfinch: the beetle soon returned with his 

 bride. Neither seemed at first to discover the exact spot ; at 

 last the male espied it, and great comfort he expressed, wheel- 

 ing in circles about eighteen inches above it, in the manner of 

 an eagle, only some half dozen miles nearer the earth : the 

 female settled on it at once, without this testimonial of satisfac- 

 tion. The male at last settled also, and the bird underwent 

 the scrutiny of four at least of the senses — touch, smell, sight, 

 and taste— for the heads of both were continually diving among 

 the feathers of the bird, and a savoury and ample meal was made 

 before the great work of burying was began. After the beetles 

 had appeased the calls of hunger, the bird was abandoned for a 

 while, both of them examining, with great care, the earth all 

 round, to see whether it was a decent place for the funeral. 

 Being satisfied as to the decorum of the thing, the operation of 

 burying was commenced by the male ; the lady mounting the 

 bird, and for a time sitting quietly upon it, then hiding herself 

 among the feathers, and allowing herself to be buried with it. 

 The male began by digging a furrow all round the bird, at the 

 distance of about half an inch, turning the earth outside; his 

 head was the only tool used in this operation ; it was held 

 sloping outwards, and seemed prodigiously powerful. 



