88 INSECTS AT HOME. 



' The Burying- Beetle is about an inch in length ; he is black, 

 with two bands across his back of a bright-orange colour : 

 these bands are formed by two blotches of that colour on each 

 of the wing-cases. He is a disgusting creature though in such 

 a gay dress, being so fetid that one's hands smell for hours 

 after handling him ; and if he crawls on one's coat, or other 

 garments not often washed, the smell continues for days. The 

 whole tribe of Burying Beetles lay their eggs in the bodies of 

 dead animals, which, when possible, they bury for the purpose. 

 In Eussia, where death itself does not do away with distinc- 

 tions, the poor people are buried but a few inches under 

 ground, the coffin consisting of four boards roughly nailed 

 together, and not particularly well fitted. The operation of 

 burying is often at the expense of the country, and therefore 

 done from necessity, not love. This mode affords great satis- 

 faction to the Burying Beetles, as it saves them the labours of 

 the grave-digger. They avail themselves of the bodies placed 

 so nicely within their reach, and the graves are pierced with 

 their holes in every direction. At evening, hundreds of these 

 Beetles may be seen in the Eussian burying-places, either 

 buzzing about the graves, or sitting placidly at the mouths of 

 their burrows, which lead into them. 



' The Burying Beetle in this country seldom finds so con- 

 venient a provision for him, and he is under the necessity of 

 taking much more trouble. He sometimes avails himself of 

 dead dogs and horses, but these are too great rarities to be his 

 constant i-esort : the usual objects of his search are dead mice, 

 rats, birds, frogs, and moles ; of these, a bird is most commonly 

 obtained. In the neighbourhood of towns, every kind of garbage 

 that is thrown out attracts these Beetles as soon as it begins to 

 smell ; and it is not unusual to see them settling in our streets, 

 enticed by the grateful odour of such substances. 



' The Burying Beetles hvuit in couples, male and female ; 

 :and when six or eight are found in a large animal, they are 

 .almost sure to be males and females in equal numbers. They 

 'hunt by scent only, the chase being mostly performed when 

 'no other sense would* be very available — viz. in the night. 

 When they have found a bird, great comfort is expressed by 

 the male, who wheels round and round above it like an eagle ; 

 ■*;the i female settles on it at once, without this testimonial of 



