166 BURYING-BEETLE. 



these perfume-bearing beetles are some who are just 

 insect skunks. Chief among these is the common 

 black Cock-tail, a creature of truly diabolical aspect. 

 It is a carrion eater, and intensifies the carrion odour. 

 Still, repulsive as it is, it has its beauties. Its wings 

 are very beautiful, and the mode in which these 

 organs are packed away under their small cases is 

 most wonderful. It is to aid in this process that the 

 cock-tail possesses the faculty of turning its tail over 

 its back. Plate H, fig. 12. 



Another beetle of an abominable odour is the 

 Burying-beetle, one of which is shown on plate C, 

 fig. 8. There are many burying-beetles, but this 

 species is the most common. 



Their name is derived from their habit of burying 

 any piece of meat or dead animal that may be lying 

 on the surface of the earth, not so much for the sake 

 of themselves as for their progeny. In the buried 

 animal their eggs are laid, and its putrefying sub- 

 stance affords them nourishment. The rapidity with 

 which these and similar insects will consume even a 

 large animal is marvellous. I have seen a large, 

 sheep stripped to the very bones in three days, 

 nothing but bones and wool being left to mark the 

 spot where it had lain. 



Another kind of burying-beetle is seen on plate B, 

 fig. 7 j but instead of dead meat it buries the drop- 

 pings of living animals, those of the cow being 

 preferred. For this purpose it drives a perpendicular 



