The Sacred Beetle and Others 



sider only those evenings on which the atmo- 

 spheric conditions are favourable to fora- 

 ging-expeditions or at least seem to me as 

 though they ought to be. I will summarize 

 the details in my note-book in three general 

 cases. 



First case. A glorious evening. The 

 Geotrupes fuss about the cages, impatient to 

 hasten to their nocturnal task. Next day, 

 magnificent weather. The prophecy, of 

 course, is of the simplest. To-day's fine 

 weather is only the continuation of yester- 

 day's. If the Geotrupes know nothing more 

 than this, they hardly deserve their reputa- 

 tion. However, let us pursue the experiment 

 before drawing any conclusions. 



Second case. Again a fine evening. My 

 experience seems to say that the condition of 

 the sky forebodes a fine morning. The Geo- 

 trupes think otherwise. They do not come 

 out. Which of the two will be right, man or 

 Dung-beetle? The Dung-beetle: thanks to 

 the keenness of his perceptions, he foresees, 

 he scents a downpour. Rain comes during 

 the night and lasts for part of the day. 



Third case. The sky is overcast. Will 



the south-wind, gathering its clouds, bring us 



rain? I ani of that opinion, appearances 



seem so much to point that way. The Geo- 



288 



