THE BEETLE. 185 



Curious operations. 



strongly upon their collars, and, bending down 

 their heads, forced out the earth around the bird 

 like a kind of rampart. The work being finish- 

 ed, and the bird having fallen into the hol- 

 low, they covered it, and thus closed the 

 grave. It appeared as if the bird moved alter- 

 nately its head, its tail, its wings, or feet. 

 Every time that any of these movements were 

 observed, the efforts that the beetles made to 

 draw the body into the grave, which was now 

 nearly completed, might be remarked : in effect- 

 ing this, they jointly drew it by its feathers 

 below. This operation lasted full two hours, 

 when the smallest or male beetle drove away the 

 female from the grave, and would not allow her 

 to enter the hole as often as she attempted to 

 come out of it. 



The insect continued this work alone for at 

 least five hours ; and it was astonishing to ob- 

 serve the great quantity of earth that he removed 

 in that time : but our author's surprise was much 

 augmented when he saw the little animal stiffen- 

 ing its collar, and exerting all its strength, lift 

 up the bird, make it change its place, turn, and 

 in some measure, arrange it in the grave that it 

 had prepared ; which was so spacious, and so far 

 cleared, that he could perceive exactly under the 

 bird all the movements and all the actions of the 

 beetle. From time to time the beetle, coming 

 out of its hole, mounted upon the bird, and ap- 

 peared to tread it down ; then, returning to the 



VOL. vi. NO. 43. % \ 



