THE GOLDEN GARDENER 107 



dant in proportion. Those that have not are envious of 

 those that have ; the hungry bare their teeth at the 

 satisfied. Then follows the battle for the right of 

 possession. Man raises armies ; to defend his harvests, 

 his granaries, and his cellars, he resorts to warfare. 

 When shall we see the end of it ? Alas, and many 

 times alas ! As long as there are wolves in the world 

 there must be watch-dogs to defend the flock. 



This train of thought has led us far away from our 

 beetles. Let us return to them. What was my motive 

 in provoking the massacre of this peaceful procession 

 of caterpillars who were on the point of self-burial 

 when I gave them over to the butchers ? Was it to 

 enjoy the spectacle of a frenzied massacre ? By no 

 means ; I have always pitied the sufferings of animals, 

 and the smallest life is worthy of respect. To overcome 

 this pity there needed the exigencies of scientific 

 research — exigencies which are often cruel. 



In this case the subject of research was the habits 

 of the Carabus auratus, the little vermin-killer of our 

 gardens, who is therefore vulgarly known as the Gardener 

 Beetle. How far is this title deserved ? What game 

 does the Gardener Beetle hunt ? From what vermin 

 does he free our beds and borders ? His dealings with 

 the procession of pine-caterpillars promise much. Let 

 us continue our inquiry. 



On various occasions about the end of April the 

 gardens afford me the sight of such processions, some- 

 times longer, sometimes shorter. I capture them and 

 place them in the vivarium. Bloodshed commences 

 the moment the banquet is served. The caterpillars 

 are eviscerated ; each by a single beetle, or by several 



