More Beetles 



is no end to it with these fiery temperaments. 



The Carabus is expeditious in his love- 

 affairs. A male passing in the crowd flings 

 himself upon a female, the first that comes, 

 without any previous flirting. The she thus 

 bestridden lifts her head a little as a sign of 

 acquiesence, while her rider whips her neck 

 with the tips of his antennae. When the 

 coupling is finished and it does not take 

 long the two separate abruptly, recuperate 

 their strength by a mouthful of the Snail 

 served up for their food, after which they 

 both get married again, the wedding being 

 repeated so long as males remain available. 

 After feasting, a brutal wooing; after the 

 wooing, more feasting: this sums up the 

 Gold Beetle's life. 



The ladies in my menagerie were not in 

 proportion to the number of suitors: there 

 were five females to twenty males. No mat- 

 ter: there was no rivalry, no exchange of 

 blows; a most peaceful use and abuse was 

 made of the passing fair. With this mutual 

 tolerance, sooner or later, many times over 

 and according to the chance of the en- 

 counters, each one finds the wherewithal to 

 satisfy his ardour. 



I should have preferred a more evenly 

 310 



