Ill CERCERIS BUPRESTICIDA 47 



flexibility in the joints. More than this, after that lapse 

 of time, I have dissected several, and their viscerae were as 

 perfectly preserved as if I had used my scalpel on the live 

 insect. Now, long experience has taught me that even in 

 a beetle of this size, when twelve hours have passed in 

 summer after its death, the interior organs are either dried 

 up or corrupted so that it is impossible to be sure of form 

 or structure. There is some peculiarity about Buprestids 

 put to death by the Cerceris which prevents corruption or 

 desiccation for a week, or perhaps two. But what is this 

 peculiarity ? 



To explain this wonderful preservation which 

 makes an insect dead for several weeks into a piece 

 of game not even high, but, on the contrary, as fresh 

 as when first caught, and that during the greatest 

 heat of summer, the skilful historian of Cerceris 

 bupresticida supposes that there must be an anti- 

 septic liquid acting as do the preparations used in 

 preserving anatomical specimens. This liquid can 

 only be the poison injected by the Hymenopteron 

 into the body of the victim. A minute globule of 

 the venomous humour accompanying the dart or 

 lancet, destined for this purpose, acts as a kind of 

 pickle or antiseptic fluid to preserve the flesh on 

 which the larva is to feed. But then how superior 

 to our processes are those of the Cerceris with regard 

 to preserved food ! We salt or smoke or enclose in 

 tins hermetically sealed provisions which remain eat- 

 able, to be sure, but which are far, very far from 

 having the qualities of fresh meat. Sardines drowned 

 in oil, Dutch smoked herrings, cod hardened into 

 slabs by salt and sun, — can any of these sustain com- 

 parison with the same fish brought alive to the 

 kitchen ? For meat properly so-called it is still 



