ELEODES THE BEETLE 121 



hollow air-filled space took up most of the room, 

 and that only a very little place was given for 

 the abdomen. This explained to me why I had 

 always been deceived when I attempted to 

 judge the weight of the tumblebug by his size. 



The food of these beetles is largely dried 

 vegetation and fungi. This is true both in the 

 larval and in the adult stages; hence I cannot 

 see any special virtue in ending their lives by 

 stepping on every one one sees, as is the habit 

 with some unthinking and cruel people. The 

 pinacate beetles, as they are often called in the 

 Southwestern United States and Mexico, ex- 

 hibit a good deal of dexterity in eating their 

 food. Time and time again I have seen them 

 hold a food morsel down to the ground with one 

 foot, much as a dog does his bone, while gnaw- 

 ing it. Also I have seen them take up a piece 

 of food and run away with it when disturbed, 

 holding it up with their two front feet as they 

 made away. 



There seems to be no place too desolate or 

 sunscorched for these creatures to live in. 1 On 



1 My notebook records the finding of these insects on the 

 very summit of San Gorgonio Peak (11,485 feet), a fact which 

 shows their wide altitudinal distribution. 



