240 THE LIFE AND LOVE OF THE INSECT 



He goes in. By degrees, as the dwelling is dug out, the 

 female follows him, meekly and gently, so one would 

 think. 



Soon, the place and time perhaps not suiting her, she 

 reappears and half -emerges, backwards. She struggles 

 against her abductor, who, on his side, pulls her to him, 

 without, as yet, showing himself. A lively contest 

 ensues, one making every effort outside the cabin, the 

 other inside. They go backwards and forwards by turns ; 

 and success is undecided. At last, with a sudden exer- 

 tion, the Scorpioness drags her companion out. 



The unbroken team is in the open ; the walk is resumed. 

 For a good hour, they veer to one side along the pane, 

 veer back to the other and then return to the tile of just 

 now, to the exact same tile. As the way is already open, 

 the male enters without delay and pulls like mad. Out- 

 side, the Scorpioness resists. Stiffening her legs, which 

 plough the soil, and buttressing her tail against the arch 

 of the tile, she refuses to go in. I like this resistance. 

 What would the pairing be without the playful toying 

 of the preludes ? 



Under the stone, however, the ravisher insists and con- 

 trives to such good purpose that the rebel obeys. She 

 enters. It has just struck ten. If I have to sit up for 

 the rest of the night, I will wait for the result ; I shall 

 turn the potsherd at the fitting moment to catch a glimpse 

 of what is happening underneath. Good opportunities 

 are rare : let us make the most of this one. What shall I 

 see ? 



Nothing at all. In half an hour or less, the refractory 

 one frees herself, issues from the shelter and flees. The 

 other at once runs up from the back of the cabin, stops 

 on the threshold and looks out. His beauty has escaped 



