200 



THE SWAN AND HER CREW. 



They lay down on the ground by the beetles, watching 

 them. The process of egg-laying by the female was just about 

 being completed, and the two soon buried themselves in the 

 earth beneath the carcase, and presently appeared at one side 

 with a little mound of earth which they had excavated from 

 under it. This process was repeated again and again, and 

 very slowly the mole began to sink into the ground. The boys 

 watched it for nearly an hour, and in that time the mole was 



LACE-WINGED FLY. (Manner of depositing Eggs.) 



about half-buried. One observer once kept four of these 

 beetles in a place where he could observe them, and supplied 

 them with carcases of small animals and birds, and in twelve 

 days they had buried no less than fifty ! 



" Have you ever seen those huge stag-beetles with long 

 horny mandibles like stag's horns ? " said Frank. 



" Yes," replied Dick, " I caught one yesterday, and looked 

 up all about it in my books. Its caterpillar takes four years 



