The Sacred Beetle and Others 



similar to that of which I have just deprived 

 it. With this layer the jar becomes a suit- 

 able cage for the mother and her loaf. 



I need hardly say that the startled insect 

 would not undertake anything while light 

 prevailed, no matter how dim and tempered. 

 It must have complete darkness, which I 

 produce by means -of a cardboard sheath en- 

 closing the jar. By carefully raising this 

 sheath a little, I can surprise the captive at 

 her work whenever I feel inclined, the light 

 in my study being a shaded one, and even 

 watch operations for a time. The reader 

 will notice that this arrangement is much less 

 complex than that which I used when I 

 wished to see the Sacred Beetle engaged in 

 modelling her pear, the simpler method being 

 made possible by the different temperament 

 of the Copris, who is more easy-going than 

 her kinswoman. A dozen of these eclipsed 

 appliances are accordingly arranged on my 

 large laboratory-table. Any one seeing 

 them standing in a row would take them for 

 a collection of groceries in whity-brown 

 paper bags. 



For my dark apparatus, I use flower-pots 

 filled with fresh, well-packed sand. The 

 mother and her cake occupy the lower part, 

 which is adapted as a niche by means of a 



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