Burying Beetle. 



269 



wings in attempting to return to the spot from which they 

 were taken."* The manner in which these insects lay 

 their eggs is represented in the following figure, which is 

 that of an insect nearly allied to the crickets, though of a 

 different genus. 



Acrida vemidvora depositing her eggs. 

 The usual position of the ovipositor is represented by dots. 



A more laborious task is performed by an insect by no 

 means uncommon in Britain, the burying beetle (Necro- 

 phorus vespillo], which may be easily recognized by its longish 

 body, of a black colour, with two broad and irregularly 

 indented bands of yellowish brown. A foreign naturalist, 

 M. Gleditsch, gives a very interesting account of its in- 

 dustry. He had "often remarked that dead moles, when 

 laid upon the ground, especially if upon loose earth, were 

 almost sure to disappear in the course of two or three days, 

 often of twelve hours. To ascertain the cause, he placed a 

 mole upon one of the beds in his garden. It had vanished 



* Natural History of Selborne. 



