Saprini, Dermestes and Others 



ugly creatures covered with wild bristle of 

 dark hairs. The pitch-black back has a red 

 stripe running down the middle from end to 

 end. The white-leaded lower surface al- 

 ready promises the white flannel of matur- 

 ity. The penultimate segment is armed, 

 above, with two curved points. These are 

 grapnels, which enable the grub to slip 

 swiftly through the interstices of the bones. 



The exploited carcase seems deserted, so 

 quiet is everything outside. Lift it up. In- 

 stantly what liveliness, what confusion! 

 Surprised by the sudden rush of light, the 

 hairy-backed larvae dive under the remains, 

 wriggling their way into the crevices of the 

 skeleton ; the adults, whose movements are 

 less supple, run to and fro in their distress, 

 burying themselves as best they can, or 

 flying off. Leave them to their darkness: 

 they will resume the interrupted work and, 

 some time in July, we shall find their nymphs 

 with no other shelter than the remnants of 

 the corpse. 



Although the Dermestes disdains to bur- 

 row underground in order to undergo their 

 transformation, finding suflEcient protection 

 beneath the remains of the wasted corpse, 

 this is by no means the case with the Silpha, 



45 



