The Sacred Beetle: the Ball 



precedes it; it is modelled precisely with a 

 view to that method of conveyance, which is 

 to make the carriage of the heavy load 

 feasible. 



The Sacred Beetle is a passionate lover 

 of the sun, whose image he copies in the 

 radiating notches of his rounded shield. He 

 needs the bright light in order to make the 

 most of the heap whence he extracts first 

 provisions and next materials for nest-buil- 

 ding. The other Dung-beetles — Geotrupes, 

 Copres, Onltes, Onthophagi — for the most 

 part have dark, mysterious habits; they work 

 unseen under the roof of excrement; they do 

 not begin their quest until night is at hand 

 and the last glimmer of twilight is fading. 

 The more trustful Scarab both seeks and finds 

 amid the gladness of the noonday sun; he 

 works his bit of ground quite openly and 

 reaps his harvest in the hottest and brightest 

 hours of the day. His ebon breastplate is 

 glittering on top of the heap at times when 

 there is naught to indicate the presence of 

 numerous fellow-workers, belonging to other 

 genera, who are busy underneath, carving 

 themselves their share of the lower strata. 

 Darkness for others, but for him the light! 



This love of the unscreened sun has Its 

 blissful side, as the insect, drunk with heat, 



69 



