The Sacred Beetle and Others 



disturbing the latter, I nail the ball to the 

 ground with a long, strong pin. It stops 

 suddenly. The Beetle, unaware of my 

 perfidy, doubtless believes that some natural 

 obstacle, a rut, a tuft of couch-grass, a 

 pebble, bars the way. He redoubles his 

 efforts, struggles his hardest; nothing hap- 

 pens. 



" What can the matter be? Let's go and 

 see." 



The Beetle walks two or three times round 

 his pellet. Discovering nothing to account 

 for its immobility, he returns to the rear 

 and starts pushing again. The ball remains 

 stationary. 



" Let's look up above." 



The Beetle goes up to find nothing but his 

 motionless colleague, for I had taken care to 

 drive in the pin so deep that the head dis- 

 appeared in the ball. He explores the whole 

 upper surface and comes down again. 

 Fresh thrusts are vigorously applied in front 

 and at the sides, with the same absence of 

 success. There is not a doubt about it : never 

 before was Dung-beetle confronted with such 

 a problem in inertia. 



Now is the time, the very time, to claim 

 assistance, which is all the easier as his mate 

 is there, close at hand, squatting on the 

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