The Sacred Beetle and Others 



Pour monter notre menage, helas! comment 



ferons-nous? 

 Toi devant et moi derriere, nous pousserons 



le tonneau. 



1 



The evidence of the scalpel compelled me 

 to abandon my belief in this domestic idyll. 

 There is no outward difference between the 

 two sexes in the Scarabaei. I therefore dis- 

 sected the pair of Dung-beetles engaged in 

 trundling one and the same ball; and they 

 very often proved to be of the same sex. 



Neither community of family nor com- 

 munity of labour ! Then what is the motive 

 for this apparent partnership? It is purely 

 and simply an attempt at robbery. The 

 zealous fellow-worker, on the false plea of 

 lending a helping hand, cherishes a plan 

 to purloin the ball at the first opportunity. 

 To make one's own ball at the heap means 

 hard work and patience; to steal one ready- 

 made, or at least to foist one's self as a guest, 

 is a much easier matter. Should the owner's 

 vigilance slacken, you can run away with his 

 property'; should you be too closely watched, 

 you can sit down to table uninvited, plead- 



1 " WTien you and I start housekeeping, alas, what shall 

 we do? 

 You in front and I behind, we'll shove the tub 

 along!" 



14 



