The Cetoniae 



the Cetonla-larva works exclusively in faecal 

 masonry. 



If proofs were needed, here they are. I 

 isolate some larvae which have attained their 

 full maturity and are ready to build, in small 

 jars, placing one in each. As building needs 

 a support, I provide each jar with some 

 slight contents, which can easily be removed. 

 One receives some cotton-wool, chopped 

 small with the scissors ; another some bits of 

 paper, the size of a lentil; a third some pars- 

 ley-seed; a fourth some radish-seed. I use 

 whatever comes to hand, without preference 

 for this or that. 



The larvae do not hesitate to bury them- 

 selves in these surroundings, which their 

 race has never frequented. There is here 

 no earthy matter, such as we should expect 

 to find used in the construction of the co- 

 coons; there is no clay to be collected. 

 Everything is perfectly clean. If the grub 

 builds, it can only do so with mortar from 

 its own factory. But will it build? 



To be sure it will and supremely well. 

 In a few days' time I have magnificent co- 

 coons, as strong as those that I extracted 

 from the leaf-mould. They are, moreover, 

 much prettier in appearance. In the flask 

 29 



