The Sense of Smell 



and they spun round frantically in an under- 

 takers' carnival. 



When the bacchanal dance is at its height, 

 I try to count the number of the arrivals. I 

 rip up the floral pouch and pour its contents 

 into a flask. Absolutely tipsy though they 

 be, many would escape during the census, 

 which I wish to take accurately. A few drops 

 of carbon bisulphide deprive the crowd of 

 motion. The counting then shows that there 

 were over four hundred. Such was the living 

 billow which I saw surging just now in the 

 dragon's purse. 



The throng consists entirely of two fami- 

 lies, Dermestes and Saprini, 1 both of whom 

 are very busy in spring turning derelict corpses 

 to account. Here is a complete list of the vis- 

 itors to a single flower, with the number of 

 representatives of each speties: Dermestes 

 Frischu, KUGEL., 120; D. undulatus, BRAHM, 

 90; D. pardalis, ScHOENH., i; Saprinus sub- 

 nitidus, DE MARS., i6o;5. maculatus, Ross., 

 4 ; S. detersus, ILLIG., 1 5 ; S. semipunctatus, 

 DE MARS., 12 ; S. aneus, FABR., 2 ; S. speculi- 

 fer, LATR., 2. Total: 406. 



'A species of small carnivorous Beetles. Translator's 

 Note. 



323 



