114 SOCIAL LIFE IN THE INSECT WOBLD 



insensate massacre continues I shall soon find my cage 

 depopulated. 



Are my beetles hoary with age ? Do they die a natural 

 death, and do the survivors then clean out the bodies ? 

 Or is the population being reduced at the expense of 

 sound and healthy insects ? It is not easy to elucidate 

 the matter, since the atrocities are commonly perpetrated 

 in the night. But, finally, with vigilance, on two occa- 

 sions, I surprise the beetles at their work in the light 

 of day. 



Towards the middle of June a female attacks a male 

 before my eyes. The male is recognisable by his slightly 

 smaller size. The operation commences. Raising the 

 ends of the wing-covers, the assailant seizes her victim by 

 the extremity of the abdomen, from the dorsal side. 

 She pulls at him furiously, eagerly munching with her 

 mandibles. The victim, who is in the prime of life, does 

 not defend himself, nor turn upon his assailant. He 

 pulls his hardest in the opposite direction to free himself 

 from those terrible fangs ; he advances and recoils as he 

 is overpowered by or overpowers the assassin ; and there 

 his resistance ends. The struggle lasts a quarter of an 

 hour. Other beetles, passing by, call a halt, and seem to 

 say " My turn next 1 " Finally, redoubling his efforts, 

 the male frees himself and flies. If he had not succeeded 

 in escaping the ferocious female would undoubtedly 

 have eviscerated him. 



A few days later I witness a similar scene, but this 

 time the tragedy is played to the end. Once more it is a 

 female who seizes a male from behind. With no other 

 protest except his futile efforts to escape, the victim is 

 forced to submit. The skin finally yields ; the wound 



