FABRE'S BOOK OF INSECTS 



is to scour the filth from the surface of the soil. The ball 

 he rolls so carefully is made of his sweepings from the 

 roads and fields. 



This is how he sets about it. The edge of his broad, 

 flat head is notched with six teeth arranged in a semi- 

 circle, like a sort of curved rake; and this he uses for 

 digging and cutting up, for throwing aside the stuff he 

 does not want, and scraping together the food he chooses. 

 His bow-shaped fore-legs are also useful tools, for they 

 are very strong, and they too have five teeth on the out- 

 side. So if a vigorous effort be needed to remove some 

 obstacle the Scarab makes use of his elbows, that is to 

 say he flings his toothed legs to right and left, and clears 

 a space with an energetic sweep. Then he collects arm- 

 fuls of the stuff he has raked together, and pushes it 

 beneath him, between the four hinder-legs. These are 

 long and slender, especially the last pair, slightly bowed 

 and finished with a sharp claw. The Beetle then presses 

 the stuff against his body with his hind-legs, curving 

 it and spinning it round and round till it forms a perfect 

 ball. In a moment a tiny pellet grows to the size of 

 a walnut, and soon to that of an apple. I have seen 

 some gluttons manufacture a ball as big as a man's fist. 



When the ball of provisions is ready it must be moved 

 to a suitable place. The Beetle begins the journey. He 

 clasps the ball with his long hind-legs and walks with 



[12] 



