More Beetles 



take place. But we cannot understand the 

 two withered, misshapen legs of the Geo- 

 trupes' grub, which, one would think, would 

 have been very useful if they had grown into 

 serviceable grappling-irons. The grub shifts 

 its position; it climbs up and down inside its 

 tall column of victuals; it moves about in 

 quest of morsels to suit it. Those two neg- 

 lected supports would make the climbing 

 easier if they were in good condition. 



On the other hand, the grub of the Sacred 

 Beetle, confined in a narrow recess, has 

 hardly any need of locomotion. A simple 

 movement of the hinder-part brings within 

 the reach of its mandibles a fresh layer of the 

 victuals to be consumed. No matter : it is 

 blessed with six sound, well-turned legs. 

 The cripple moves to and fro, the lusty 

 athlete is stationary; the limping grub takes 

 its walks abroad, the nimble one sits still. 

 There is no satisfactory way of explaining 

 this paradox. 



In the adult form, the Sacred Beetle and 

 his kinsfolk, the Half-spotted Scarab,^ the 

 broad-necked Scarab ^ and the Pock-marked 



1 Cf . The Sacred Beetle and Others : chap, ii.— » Trans- 

 lator's Note. 



2 Cf . idem: chap. viii. — Translator's Note, 



258 



