THE SACRED BEETLE 23 



elaborated in a less parched intestine, is kneaded into 

 biscuits all of a piece. That is the material required, the 

 dough exclusively used. It is no longer the poor and 

 stringy produce of the horse, but an unctuous, plastic, 

 homogeneous thing, soaked through and through with 

 nourishing juices. Its plasticity, its delicacy are admir- 

 ably adapted to the artistic work of the pear, while its 

 alimentary qualities suit the weak stomach of the new- 

 born progeny. Little though the bulk be, the grub will 

 here find sufficient food. 



This explains the smallness of the alimentary pears, a 

 srnallness that made me doubt the origin of my find, 

 before I came upon the mother in the presence of the 

 provisions. I was unable to see in those little pears the 

 bill of fare of a future Sacred Beetle, himself so great a 

 glutton and of so remarkable a size. 



Where is the egg in that nutritive mass so novel in 

 shape ? One would be inclined to place it in the centre 

 of the fat, round paunch. This central point is best-pro- 

 tected against accidents from the outside, best-endowed 

 with an even temperature. Besides, the budding grub 

 would here find a deep layer of food on every side of it 

 and would not be exposed to the mistakes of the first 

 few mouthfuls. Everything being alike on every side 

 of it, it would not be called upon to choose ; wherever it 

 chanced to apply its novice tooth, it could continue 

 without hesitation its first dainty repast. 



All this seemed so very reasonable that I allowed myself 

 to be led away by it. In the first pear which I explored, 

 slender layer by slender layer, with the blade of a pen- 

 knife, I looked for the egg in the centre of the paunch, 

 feeling almost certain of finding it there. To my great 

 surprise, it was not there. Instead of being hollow, the 



