The Cetonia-larva 



blackest darkness. Her movements are la- 

 boured and uncertain, owing to the mould, 

 which is continually giving way all round her; 

 she cannot keep her eyes on the terrible man- 

 dibles, which are capable of cutting her body 

 in two with a single bite. Moreover, the 

 Cetonia-grub, perceiving that the enemy is 

 approaching, assumes its defensive posture, 

 rolls itself up and makes a shield for its only 

 vulnerable part, the ventral surface, with its 

 convex back. No, it cannot be an easy oper- 

 ation to subdue the powerful larva in its 

 underground retreat and to stab with the 

 precision which immediate paralysis requires. 



We wish that we might witness the strug- 

 gle between the two adversaries and see at 

 first hand what happens, but we cannot hope 

 to succeed. It all takes place in the mys- 

 terious darkness of the soil; in broad day- 

 light, the attack would not be delivered, for 

 the victim must remain where it is and then 

 and there receive the egg, which is unable to 

 thrive and develop except under the warm 

 cover of vegetable mould. If direct obser- 

 vation is impracticable, we can at least fore- 

 see the main outlines of the drama by allow- 

 ing ourselves to be guided by the warlike 

 manoeuvres of other burrowers. 



I picture things thus: digging and rum- 

 91 



