CHAPTER X 



THE SPANISH COPRIS : THE HABITS OF 

 THE MOTHER 



THERE are two special points to be 

 remembered In the life-history of the 

 Spanish Copris: the rearing of her family; 

 and her pill-rolling talents. 



First, the output of her ovaries Is ex- 

 tremely limited; and nevertheless her race 

 thrives just as much as that of many others 

 whose seed is numerous. Maternal care 

 makes up for the small number of her eggs. 

 Prolific layers, after making a few rough and 

 read)^ arrangements, abandon their progeny 

 to luck, which often sacrifices a thousand in 

 order to preserve one; they are factories 

 turning out organic matter for life's compre- 

 hensive maw. Almost as soon as hatched, 

 or even before hatching, their offspring for 

 the most part perish devoured. Extermina- 

 tion makes short work of superfluity In the 

 interests of the community at large. That 

 which was destined to live lives, but under 

 another form. These excessive breeders 



215 



