Gold Beetles: Their Nuptial Habits 



divided assembly. Luck, not choice, gave 

 me that which I had at my disposal. I col- 

 lected in early spring all the Gold Beetles 

 that I could find under the stones around, 

 without distinction of sex, which is not easy 

 to recognize merely by external character- 

 istics. Afterwards, as I reared them in my 

 cages, I learnt that a slight excess in size was 

 the distinctive sign of the females. My me- 

 nagerie, so unequal in the numerical relation 

 of the sexes, was therefore a fortuitous re- 

 sult. It seems likely that this proportion of 

 males does not exist under natural conditions. 



On the other hand, such numerous groups 

 are never seen at liberty, sheltered under the 

 same stone. The Gold Beetle leads an al- 

 most solitary life; it is rare to find two or 

 three gathered at one spot. The assembly 

 in my menagerie is therefore exceptional, 

 although it does not lead to disorder. There 

 is plenty of room in the glass cage for dis- 

 tant rambles and for all the usual diversions. 

 He who wants to be alone remains alone; he 

 who wants company soon finds it. 



For that matter, captivity does not seem 



to trouble them unduly, as is shown by the 



frequent feasting and their daily repeated 



mating. They could thrive no better if at 



3" 



