A DUNG-BEETLE OF THE PAMPAS 107 



matter of fact, later, when the worm is on the sausage- 

 meat, we find the floor perforated with a hole just large 

 enough for it to pass through. 



Wrapped all round in a thick casing of pottery, the 

 meat keeps fresh as long as is required by the duration 

 of the hatching-process, a detail which I have not ascer- 

 tained ; in its cell, which is also of clay, the egg lies safe. 

 Capital : so far, all is well. Phanaeus Milo is thoroughly 

 acquainted with the mysteries of fortification and the 

 danger of victuals evaporating too soon. There remain 

 the breathing requirements of the germ. 



To satisfy these, the insect has been equally well- 

 inspired. The neck of the calabash is pierced, in the 

 direction of its axis, with a tiny channel which would 

 admit at most the thinnest of straws. Inside, this 

 conduit opens at the top of the dome of the hatching- 

 chamber ; outside, at the tip of the nipple, it spreads into 

 a wide mouth-piece. This is the ventilating-shaft, pro- 

 tected against intruders by its extreme narrowness and 

 by grains of dust which obstruct it a little, without 

 stopping it up. It is simply marvellous, I said. Was I 

 wrong ? If a construction of this sort is a fortuitous 

 result, we must admit that blind chance is gifted with 

 extraordinary foresight. 



How does the awkward insect manage to carry so 

 delicate and complex a piece of building through ? Ex- 

 ploring the pampas as I do through the eyes of an inter- 

 mediary, my only guide in this question is the structure 

 of the work, a structure whence we can deduct the work- 

 man's methods without going far wrong. I therefore 

 imagine the labour to proceed like this : a small carcass 

 is found, the oozing of which has softened the underlying 

 loam. The insect collects more or less of this loam, 



