The Burying-Beetles: Experiments 



fresh corpse Is soon perceived. About seven 

 o'clock in the morning, three Necrophori 

 come hurrying up, two males and a female. 

 They slip under the Mouse, who moves in 

 jerks, a sign of the efforts of the burying- 

 party. An attempt is made to dig into the 

 layer of sand which hides the brick, so that 

 a bank of rubbish accumulates round the 

 body. 



For a couple of hours the jerks continue 

 without results. I profit by the circumstance 

 to learn the manner in which the work is 

 performed. The bare brick allows me to see 

 what the excavated soil would conceal from 

 me. When it is necessary to move the body, 

 the Beetle turns over; with his six claws he 

 grips the hair of the dead animal, props 

 himself upon his back and pushes, using his 

 forehead and the tip of his abdomen as a 

 lever. When he wants to dig, he resumes 

 the normal position. So, turn and turn 

 about, the sexton strives, now with his legs 

 in the air, when it is a question of shifting 

 the body or dragging it lower down; now 

 with his feet on the ground, when it is neces- 

 sary to enlarge the grave. 



The point at which the Mouse lies is 

 finally recognized as unassailable. A male 

 appears in the open. He explores the 



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