CHAPTER XVI 



THE LUNARY COPRIS ; THE BISON 

 ONITIS 



SMALLER than the Spanish Coprls and 

 less particular about a mild climate, the 

 Lunary Copris (C. lunaris, Lin.) will con- 

 firm what the Sisyphus has told us of the 

 part played by the father's collaboration in 

 the prosperity of the family. Our country 

 districts cannot show his match for oddity of 

 male attire. Like the other, he wears a 

 horn on his forehead; In addition, he has an 

 embattled promontory in the middle of his 

 corselet and a halberd-point and a deep, 

 crescent-shaped groove on his shoulders. 

 The climate of Provence and the niggardly 

 supply of food in a wilderness of thyme do 

 not suit him. He wants a country that is 

 less dry, with meadows where the patches of 

 cattle-dung will supply him with plenty of 

 provender. 



Unable to reckon on the rare specimens 

 which we meet here from time to time, I have 

 stocked my insect-house with strangers sent 



355 



