ORDER I. BEETLES. 47 



from beneath, as if to examine the position and progress of 

 the dead body ; then, creeping under it again, the work re- 

 commences in concert. After about three hours of hard 

 labor, the body — for instance, that of a frog — is so far bur- 

 ied that it can not be seen from the surface of the ground. 

 They then continue their labors in this manner for several 

 days, until the carrion is sunk about a foot in the ground, 

 and this they do probably in order to prevent the Meat-fly 

 from depositing her eggs upon it. 



The female Grave-digger deposits in the carrion about 

 thirty eggs, which are white, cylindrical, and have a short 

 filament at each extremity. These are hatched in about 

 two weeks, and the larvae proceeding from them attain their 

 full growth after four weeks more. At this period they 

 quit the dead body, go deeper into the ground, and form 

 their cocoons, from which, after about four weeks, they is- 

 sue as perfect Beetles. 



The immortal Rosel, in his ^'^ Insecten Beliistigung'^ 

 (Amusements with Insects), 1748-1761, has made some 

 very interesting and profound observations with regard to 

 this insect, which all would be pleased to hear, but which 

 our limits forbid us to relate. 



We proceed, then, to the third natural family of the 

 Coleoptera. 



Herbivorous Beetles, or Plant Eaters. 



The Herbivorous Beetles are all provided with a horny 

 skin and very hard wing-covers. Both as grubs and as 

 perfect Beetles they feed on vegetable substances. Some 

 on green wood, as the Spring and Capricorn Beetles ; some 

 on fruit and seeds, as the different kinds of Weevils or 

 Snout Beetles ; and others on leaves, as the Cucumber 

 Beetle. 



As these insects infringe the privileged prerogatives of 

 man, who, like every kingly despot, imagines that every 



