More Beetles 



am rewarded for my perseverance; Females 

 are found at last, as many as I could wish. 

 They are alone, without provisions, at the 

 bottom of a perpendicular gallery whose 

 depth would discourage any one not endowed 

 with exemplary patience. 



Everything is now explained. From the 

 time of the spring awakening and even some- 

 times at the end of autumn, before they have 

 made the acquaintance of their collabora- 

 tors, the valiant future mothers set to work, 

 choosing a good place and sinking a shaft 

 which, if it does not yet attain the requisite 

 depth, will at least be the starting-point of 

 more considerable works. It is in these 

 shafts, more or less advanced, that the 

 suitors come in search of the workers, at 

 the secret hours of the twilight. Some- 

 times there are several of them. It is not 

 uncommon to find two or three gathered 

 round the same bride. As one is enough, 

 the others decamp and pursue their quest 

 elsewhere, as soon as the lady's choice and 

 perhaps a bit of a skirmish have concluded 

 the matter. 



The quarrels among these pacific crea- 

 tures cannot be very serious. A little grap- 

 pling with the legs, whose toothed shanks 

 80 



