468 



THE INSECT WOELD. 



carefully bury carcasses left on the soil. As soon as they smell a 

 field-mouse, a mole, or a fish in a state of decomposition, they 

 come by troops to bury it, getting under the carcass, hollow- 

 ing out the ground with their legs, and projecting the rubbish 



Fig. 453. Chiasognatlms Grantii. 



they dig out in all directions. Little by little the carcass sinks ; 

 at the end of twenty- four hours it has generally disappeared into 

 a hole five inches in depth, but the Necropkori sink it still lower 

 as far as from seven to ten inches below the surface. They 



