SELF-DENIAL OF THE SPANISH COPRIS 



tip of her body against the edge of her wing-cases, making 

 a soft rustling sound, like a murmur of complaint. In 

 this way, caring industriously for her cradles, and some- 

 times snatching a brief sleep beside them the mother 

 waits. 



The Copris enjoys in her underground home a rare 

 privilege for an insect: the pleasure of knowing her 

 family. She hears her grubs scratching at the shell to 

 obtain their liberty; she is present at the bursting of the 

 nest which she has made so carefully. And when the 

 little captive, stiffening his legs and humping his back, 

 tries to split the ceiling that presses down on him, it is 

 quite possible that the mother comes to his assistance 

 by making an assault on the nest from the outside. 

 Being fitted by instinct for repairing and building, why 

 should she not also be fitted for demolishing? How- 

 ever, I will make no assertions, for I have been unable 

 to see. 



Now it is possible to say that the mother Copris, 

 being imprisoned in an enclosure from which she cannot 

 escape, stays in the midst of her nest because she has no 

 choice in the matter. Yet, if this were so, would she 

 trouble about her work of polishing and constant in- 

 spection? These cares evidently are natural to her: 

 they form part of her habits. If she were anxious to 

 regain her liberty, she would surely roam restlessly round 



