The Glow-Worm and Other Beetles 



They also share her talent. The work of 

 both is once again a sort of pear, but con- 

 structed in a more ingenious fashion, with 

 an almost conical neck and without any ele- 

 gant curves. From the point of view of 

 beauty, it falls short of the Sacred Bertie's 

 work. Considering the tools, which have 

 ample free play and are well adapted for 

 clasping, I expected something better from 

 the two modellers. No matter: the work of 

 the Megathopae conforms with the funda- 

 mental art of the other pill-rollers. 



A fourth, Bolbites onitoides, compensates 

 us for repetitions which, it is true, widen the 

 scope of the problem but teach us nothing 

 new. She is a handsome Beetle with a 

 metallic costume, green or copper-red ac- 

 cording as the light happens to fall. Her 

 four-cornered shape and her long, toothed 

 fore-legs make her resemble our Onites. 1 



In her, the Dung-beetles' guild reveals it- 

 self under a very unexpected aspect. We 

 know insects that knead soft loaves; and 

 here are some which, to keep their bread 

 fresh, discover ceramics and become potters, 

 working clay in which they pack the food of 

 the larvae. Before my housekeeper, before 



l Cf. The Sacred Beetle and Others: chap, xvi.— 

 Translator's Note. 



242 



