The Geotrupes: Nest-building 



Before continuing, let us note how well- 

 inspired the insect is in always boring its 

 burrow under the heap whence the materials 

 for the sausage are to be extracted. The 

 number of loads successively carried down 

 and pressed is considerable. Allowing a 

 thickness of a sixth of an inch for each layer 

 — a figure which is near enough — I see that 

 some fifty journeys are needed. If the pro- 

 visions had each time to be fetched from a 

 distance, the Geotrupes would be unable to 

 cope with her task, which would be too long 

 and tiring. Her sort of work is incompatible 

 with all that travelHng, after the fashion of 

 the Sacred Beetle's. She is wise to settle 

 herself under the heap. She has only to 

 climb up from her well to find under her feet, 

 at her very door, enough to make her black- 

 pudding, however large she may wish it to be. 



This, it is true, presupposes a copiously 



supplied workyard. When toiling on behalf 



of her grub, the Geotrupes keeps a lookout 



for one of this kind and accepts no purveyors 



except the Horse and the Mule, never the 



Sheep, who is too niggardly. It is not a 



question here of the quality of the foodstuffs; 



It is a question of quantity. My cages, in 



fact, tell me that the Sheep would have the 



preference, if she were more generous. 



297 



