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 ladles 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 



