The Sacred Beetle and Others 



one point stands out very clearly as the 

 result of my enquiry: the Geotrupes are 

 enthusiastic buriers; they take underground 

 a great deal more than is necessary for their 

 consumption. As this work is performed, in 

 varying degrees, by legions of collaborators, 

 large and small, It is evident that the purifica- 

 tion of the soil must benefit to a consider- 

 able extent and that the public health is to 

 be congratulated on having this army of 

 auxiliaries In Its service. 



In addition, the plant and. Indirectly, a 

 host of different existences are Interested In 

 these interments. What the Geotrupes 

 buries and abandons the next day Is not lost: 

 far from It. Nothing Is lost In the world's 

 balance-sheet; at stock-taking, the total never 

 varies. The little lump of dung buried by 

 the insect will make the nearest tuft of grass 

 grow a luxuriant green. A Sheep passes, 

 crops the bunch of grass : all the better for 

 the leg of mutton which man is waiting for; 

 the Dung-beetle's Industry has procured us 

 a savoury mouthful. 



Even that Is something, though we are 

 making our usual mistake of comparing 

 everything with our own standard. How 

 much more it becomes, once we begin to think 

 and get away from this narrow point of 

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