.The Sacred Beetle and Others 



the bottom of the burrow itself; the upper 

 end is slightly concave, through being packed 

 more closely in the middle. 



The voluminous object is put together in 

 layers rather suggestive, as regards curve and 

 arrangement, of a pile of watch-glasses. 

 Each of them obviously corresponds with a 

 load of materials gathered in the heap above 

 the burrow, carried down separately, placed 

 in position on the previous layer and then 

 vigorously trampled flat. The edges of the 

 disk, which adapt themselves less well to this 

 work of compression, remain at a higher 

 level; and all this tends to form something 

 like a concave lens. These same less com- 

 pressed edges give a sort of rind, which is 

 soiled with earth owing to its contact with 

 the walls of the tunnel. Altogether, the 

 structure tells us the method of manufacture. 

 The Geotrupes' sausage, like our own, is ob- 

 tained by moulding in a cylinder. It results 

 from layers introduced one after the other 

 and duly compressed, especially in the middle, 

 which is more easily accessible to the manipu- 

 lator's legs. Direct observation will confirm 

 these inferences presently and supplement 

 them with details of considerable interest, 

 which we should never suspect from simply 

 examining the work. 



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