The Spanish Copris: the Mother 



In the darkness of the sand-filled pots, the 

 liberation must take place in the same way. 

 All that I am able to witness is the insect's 

 emergence above ground. Attracted by the 

 smell of fresh provisions which I have served 

 on the threshold of the burrow, the newly- 

 released family emerge gradually, accom- 

 panied by the mother, wander round for a 

 time under the pane of glass and then attack 

 the pile. 



There are three or four of them, five at 

 most. The sons are easily recognized by the 

 greater length of their horns; but there is 

 nothing to distinguish the daughters from the 

 mother. For that matter, the same con- 

 fusion prevails among themselves. An 

 abrupt change of attitude has taken place; 

 and the erstwhile devoted mother is now 

 utterly indifferent to the welfare of her 

 emancipated family. Henceforward each 

 looks after his own home and his own 

 interests. They no longer know one an- 

 other. 



In the receptacles which are not moistened 

 by artificial showers, things come to a miser- 

 able end. The dry shell, almost as hard as 

 an apricot- or peach-stone, offers indomitable 

 resistance. The insect's legs manage to 

 grate off barely so much as a pinch of dust. 



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