The Bull Onthophagus: the Cell 



generally, the Onthophagus prefers a solid 

 basis to a dusty support and builds on the 

 walls of the jar, especially on the bottom. 

 When the support is vertical, the sack is a 

 longitudinal section of a short cylinder, with 

 the smooth flat surface against the glass and 

 a rugged convexity every elsewhere. If the 

 support be horizontal, as is most frequently 

 the case, the cabin is a sort of undecided oval 

 lozenge, flat at the bottom, bulging and 

 vaulted at the top. To the general in- 

 accuracy of these contorted shapes, regulated 

 by no very definite pattern, we must add the 

 coarseness of the surfaces, all of which, with 

 the exception of the parts touching the glass, 

 are covered with a crust of sand. 



The manner of procedure explains this un- 

 couth exterior. As laying-time draws nigh, 

 the Onthophagus bores a cylindrical pit and 

 descends underground to a moderate depth. 

 Here, working with her forehead, her chin 

 and her fore-legs, which are toothed like a 

 rake, she forces back and heaps around her 

 the materials which she has moved, so as to 

 obtain as best she may a nest of suitable size. 



The next thing is to cement the crumbling 

 walls of the cavity. The insect climbs back 

 to the surface by way of its pit; it gathers on 

 its threshold an armful of mortar taken from 



389 



