CIlArTJ:U FIFTEEN 



TLMBLE-BL(;S USEFUL AS SCAVENGERS. A NOVEL METHOD 

 OF MAKLNG MODERN ANTIQUE SCARABS. SAWHORN 

 BEETLES, SNAP-BUGS OR SPRING BEETLES. A SNAP-BUG 

 SPIRIT SEANCE. FIRE-FLIES OR LIGHTNING BUGS. 



TUMBLE-BUGS 



These are industrious, intelligent, comical fel- 

 lows and the tuiiible-bugs in the Ohio River Valley 

 are a constant source of entertainment and amuse- 

 ment to the young people. On the steep bank of 

 the Licking River the boys would often force the 

 industrious beetles to roll their precious ball con- 

 taining the egg (Fig. 217) which was to hatch out 

 a baby tmnble-bug (Fig. 218) over the edge of 

 the bank and then watch the worried parent beetles 

 hunt for the ball. If the latter did not roll too far 

 they would find it without assistance and use every 

 endeavor to boost it up again on the top of the 

 bank. Sometimes they were successful, sometimes 

 the boys had to help them. 



Tumble-bugs are useful scavengers; they clean 

 up and bury the refuse, and make their balls of 

 cow manure, that is, the tumble-bugs of the Ohio 

 Valley do so. One bug stands on its hands and 



239 



