The Bull Onthophagus: the Cell 



most gifted insects. How did they come by 

 this industry? 



Venturesome minds, deluded by the 

 greatly daring theorists, tell us that the 

 science of the future, rich in evidence drawn 

 from the mysteries of fibre and cell, will 

 draw up an affihation-table in which the 

 animal kingdom will be classified so that the 

 place occupied by a creature shall inform us 

 of its instincts, without any need of pre- 

 liminary observation. We shall determine 

 the aptitudes by means of learned formulae, 

 even as numbers are determined by their 

 logarithms. It is most impressive; but be- 

 ware: we are dealing with Dung-beetles; 

 let us consult them before we draw up the 

 logarithmic table of instincts. The Ontho- 

 phagus is related to the Copris, the Scarab 

 and the Sisyphus, all of whom are versed 

 In the art of making shapely pellets. Let 

 us try to tell beforehand, according to the 

 place which she occupies in the insect-table, 

 going merely by the formula, what she is 

 able to do in the way of nest-building. 



She is small, I agree; but littleness does 

 not diminish talent in the least, as witness 

 the Titmouse with his pendulous nest, the 

 Wren and the Canary, who, although among 

 the smallest of our little birds, are in- 



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