The Sacred Beetle and Othera 



geometrical sphere which her clumsy tools 

 and her confined space seemed bound to deny 

 her. 



For a long time the insect continues to 

 touch up its globe, polishing it affectionately, 

 passing its foot gently to and fro until the 

 least protuberance has disappeared. These 

 meticulous finishing touches seem endless. 

 Towards the end of the second day, however, 

 the sphere is pronounced satisfactory. The 

 mother climbs to the dome of her edifice and 

 there, still by simple pressure, hollows out 

 a shallow crater. In this basin the egg Is 

 laid. 



Then, with extreme caution, with a 

 delicacy that is most surprising with such 

 rough tools, the lips of the crater are 

 brought together so as to form a vaulted 

 roof over the egg. The mother turns 

 slowly, does a little raking, draws the stuff 

 upwards and finishes the closing-process. 

 This is the most ticklish work of all. A little 

 too much pressure, a miscalculated thrust 

 might easily jeopardize the life of the germ 

 under its thin ceiling. 



Every now and then the mother suspends 

 operations. Motionless, with lowered fore- 

 head, she seems to be sounding the cavity 

 beneath, to be listening to what is happening 



198 



