The Bear Larinus 



and presses them by rolling them with its 

 rump. Without further manipulation, this 

 would remain a crazy protection, constantly 

 collapsing and forcing the recluse to make 

 continual repairs. But the builder is 

 thoroughly acquainted with the eccentric 

 ways of its fellow-craftsmen on the echinops ; 

 it possesses a cement-factory in the end of its 

 intestine. 



If I rear it in a glass tube with a piece of 

 its native artichoke, I see it from time to 

 time curving itself into a ring and gathering 

 with its teeth a drop of a whitish, sticky 

 substance which the hinder part of the grub 

 sparingly provides. The glue is instantly 

 spread hither and thither, swiftly, for it sets 

 quickly. Thus the hairy particles are bound 

 together and what was flimsy felt becomes a 

 solid fabric. 



When completed, the work is a sort of 

 turret, the base of which is contained in the 

 little pit of the receptacle, from which the 

 grub obtained part of its nourishment. 

 The dense mane of untouched hairs forms a 

 rampart above and at the sides. It is a 

 somewhat clumsy edifice without, shored up 

 by the adjacent fur; but it is nicely smoothed 

 65 



