The Great Cerceris 



precautions of any kind; and, incredible 

 though it may sound, after this enormous 

 lapse of time the viscera had lost none of 

 their freshness and dissection was as easily 

 performed as though I were operating on a 

 live insect. No, in the presence of such facts, 

 we cannot speak of the action of an antiseptic 

 and believe in a real death: life is still there, 

 latent, passive life, the life of a vegetable. 

 It alone, resisting yet a little while longer the 

 all-conquering chemical forces, can thus pre- 

 serve the structure from decomposition. 

 Life is still there, except for movement; and 

 we have before our eyes a marvel such as 

 chloroform or ether might produce, a marvel 

 which owes its origin to the mysterious laws 

 of the nervous system. 



The functions of this vegetative life are no 

 doubt enfeebled and disturbed; but at any 

 rate they are exercised in a lethargic fashion. 

 I have as a proof the evacuation performed 

 by the Weevils normally and at intervals 

 during the first week of this deep slumber, 

 which will be followed by no awakening and 

 which nevertheless is not yet death. It does 

 not cease until the intestines are emptied of 

 their contents, as shown by autopsy. Nor 

 do the faint glimmers of life which the insect 



