More Beetles 



for a moment between the disjointed scales. 

 Surprised by the light, they dart forth their 

 pointed heads and at once pop in again. 

 Close beside them, in the gaps between the 

 spiral coils, the highly-flavoured broth lies in 

 stagnant channels. Here the greater part 

 are feeding in shoals, motionless, packed to- 

 gether, with their bud-shaped breathing- 

 holes expanded on the surface of the liquid. 

 Their numbers are indefinite and immense, 

 defying computation. 



Many strangers take part in the maggots' 

 banquet. The first to hasten to it are the 

 Saprini, lovers of corruption, as their name 

 implies. They arrive at the same time as 

 the Luciliae, 1 before the flesh liquefies. 

 They take up their positions, inspect the 

 body, tease one another in the sunshine, dis- 

 appear under the corpse. The time has not 

 yet come for a good square meal. They 

 wait. 



Despite their habit of dwelling in fetid 

 surroundings, the Saprini are pretty insects. 

 Well-armoured, thickset, moving by fits and 

 starts with short, quick steps, they glisten 

 like beads of jet. On their shoulders are 



1 Or Greenbottles. Cf. The Life of the Fly: chap, ix. 

 Translator's Note. 



36 



