The Giant Scarites 



back, he remains a long time without stirring. 

 No other insect has yet displayed such per- 

 sistent immobility, though I confess that my 

 investigations in this respect have been only 

 superficial. The detail is so thoroughly en- 

 graved on my memory that, forty years later, 

 when I want to experiment on the insects 

 which are experts in the art of simulating 

 death, I at once think of the Scarites. 



A friend sends me a dozen from Cette, 

 from the very beach on which I once passed 

 a delightful morning in the company of this 

 skilful mimic of the dead. They reach me 

 in perfect condition, mixed up in the same 

 package with some Pimeliae (P. btpunctata, 

 FAB.), their compatriots in the sands beside 

 the sea. Of these last, a pitiable crew, many 

 have been disembowelled, absolutely emp- 

 tied ; others have merely stumps instead of 

 legs; a few, but only a few, are unwounded. 



It was what one might have expected of 

 these Carabidae, lawless hunters one and all. 

 Tragic events took place in the box during 

 the journey from Cette to Serignan. The 

 Scarites gormandized riotously on the peace- 

 able Pimelise. 



Their tracks, which I followed long ago 

 on the actual spot, bore evidence to their 

 nocturnal rounds, apparently in search of 

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