TWO YOUNG NATURALISTS. 273 



for our first voyage on board of Father Lucas's new 

 vessel." 



" And where shall we go to ? " 



"To Etretat." 



" Unanimously accepted," said Bend. " After insects 

 we go back to fishes ; after the forest, the ocean ! " 



Then his restless and impulsive mind bringing him 

 back all at once to the events of the day : " By-the-by, 

 and what about my own particular collecting to-day, 

 that concluded with a wedding in a bottle ? Let us 



see what has become of my establishment of a pair of 

 Staphylinus." 



Saying this he took out the tube. A sad spectacle 

 presented itself to his eyes. 



Of the male, more than three parts were devoured ; 

 there remained but little more than the hard wing- 

 cases. The unfortunate creature must, however, 

 have fought bravely for his life ; and the female in 

 the struggle had two legs torn off, and was resting, 

 nearly motionless, at the bottom of the tube. 



