THE SEXTON BEETLE. 55 



o about half an inch, turning the earth outside ; his head 

 is the only tool used in this operation ; it is held sloping 

 outwards, and is exceedingly powerful. After the first fur- 

 row is completed another is made within it, and the earth 

 is thrown into the first furrow ; then a third furrow is made, 

 and this is completely under the bird, so that the beetle 

 whilst working at it is out of sight : now, the operation 

 can only be traced by the heaving of the earth, which soon 

 forms a little rampart round the bird : as the earth is moved 

 from beneath, and the surrounding rampart increases in 

 height, the bird sinks. After incessant labour for about 

 three hours the beetle emerges, crawls upon the bird, and 

 takes a survey of his work. If the female is on the bird, 

 she is driven away by the male, who does not choose to be 

 intruded on during the important business. The male 

 beetle then remains for about an hour perfectly still, and 

 does not stir hand or foot ; he then dismounts, dives again 

 into the grave, and pulls the bird down by the feathers for 

 half an hour ; its own weight appears to sink it but very 

 little. At last, after two or three hours' more labour, the 

 beetle comes up, again gets on the bird, and again takes a 

 survey, and then drops down as though dead, or fallen 

 suddenly fast asleep. When sufficiently rested he rouses 

 himself, treads the bird firmly into its grave, pulls it by the 

 feathers this way and that way, and having settled it to his 

 mind, begins to shovel in the earth ; this is done in a very 

 short time, by means of his broad head. He goes behind 

 the rampart of earth, and pushes it into the grave with ama- 

 zing strength and dexterity ; the head being bent directly 

 downward at first, and then the nose elevated with a kind 

 of jerk, which sends the earth forwards. After the grave 

 is thus filled up, the earth is trodden in, and undergoes 

 another keen scrutiny all round, the bird being completely 

 hidden ; the beetle then makes a hole in the still loose earth, 



