The Sacred Beetle 



than that of mounting a slope, which is sheer 

 sport to the obstinate Sisyphus, who seems 

 to delight in the rough gymnastics involved 

 in climbing steep places, as if the ball thereby 

 grew firmer and accordingly increased in 

 value; I have created artificial situations in 

 which the insect had the uttermost need of 

 help ; and never did my eyes detect any evi- 

 dence of friendly services being rendered by 

 comrade to comrade. I have seen Beetles 

 robbed and Beetles robbing and nothing 

 more. If a number of them were gathered 

 around the same pill, it meant that a battle 

 was taking place. My humble opinion, 

 therefore, is that the incident of a number 

 of Scarabaei collected around the same 

 ball with thieving intentions has given rise 

 to these stories of comrades called in to 

 lend a hand. Imperfect observations are 

 responsible for this transformation of the 

 bold highwayman into a helpful companion 

 who has left his work to do another a 

 friendly turn. 



It is no light matter to attribute to an in- 

 sect a really astonishing grasp of a situation, 

 combined with an even more amazing power 

 of communication between individuals of the 

 same species. Such an admission involves 

 more than one Imagines. That is why I in- 



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