ii8 DENIZENS OF THE DESERT 



turn over quickly and try to make away as 

 hurriedly as possible — their second hurried 

 run often ending in another somersault as 

 ludicrous as the first. It is not surprising that 

 the children often call them "circus bugs." 



I recently spent several hours trying to find 

 out just exactly how Eleodes, the tumblebug, 

 rights himself so effectively and quickly when 

 after a tumble he lands on his back. The per- 

 formance is done so rapidly rthat it takes some 

 patience to find out the order of procedure; 

 but when one wants to find out movements 

 employed in so adept a trick he cares little 

 about time. 



And now this is the way it is done. The two 

 middle (second pair) legs are straightened out 

 downward, thus elevating the inverted beetle 

 off the ground. When the body is well propped 

 up, one of the rigid legs is suddenly elbowed so 

 that the insect quickly goes down on one side, 

 and a rotary movement is started. A slight 

 heave now given by the rear third foot on the 

 opposite side sends the insect over, and away 

 the beetle runs. 



But sometimes Eleodes is not so awkward that 



