The Glow-Worm and Other Beetles 



continued into a turret, moves almost in the 

 same fashion, tumbling repeatedly as he goes. 



The Clythra's is a shapely jar and does 

 credit to the insect's art of pottery. It is 

 firm to the touch, of earthy appearance and 

 smooth as stucco inside, while the outside is 

 relieved by delicate diagonal, symmetrical 

 ribs, which are the traces of successive en- 

 largements. The back part is slightly di- 

 lated and is rounded off at the end with two 

 slight bumps. These two terminal projec- 

 tions, with the central furrow which divides 

 them, and the ribs marking additions, which 

 match on either side, are evidence of work 

 done in two parts, in which the artist has 

 followed the rules of symmetry, the first 

 condition of the beautiful. 



The front part is of rather smaller dia- 

 meter and is cut off on a slant, which enables 

 the jar to be lifted and supported on the 

 larva's back as it moves. Lastly, the mouth 

 is circular, with a blunt edge. 



Any one finding one of these jars for the 

 first time, among the stones at the foot of an 

 oak, and wondering what its origin could be, 

 would be greatly puzzled. Is it the stone of 

 some unknown fruit, emptied of its kernel 

 by the patient tooth of the Field-mouse? Is 

 it the capsule of a plant, from which the lid 



452 



