Insects 213 



floor. If the rounded ones fell on their backs 

 they could not turn themselves, but lay, legs 

 up, kicking stupidly until Patsy swept them 

 up on the shovel and tossed them into outer 

 darkness. Some of these were nearly three 

 inches long, and so heavy they plopped like 

 clods in falling. They had fine brown gauze 

 wings, which, except in flying, they kept 

 snuggly tucked within the cupped black shell. 

 Patsy always ran the minute she heard a fall 

 — she liked to see the Betty draw in its 

 wings and tuck them in place, though she 

 was sure the cupped shell must be as clumsy 

 and heavy as was the armor a knight wore 

 back in the old days. Occasionally she turned 

 a Betty right side up, in hope to see it spread 

 its wings and fly. But the Bettys disappointed 

 her ; instead of flying, they scuttled for cover 

 as fast as strong legs could carry them. 



The long Bettys could right themselves; 

 they were not quite so heavy as the broad 

 ones. But if a fall stunned them, or lamed 

 them a bit, they feigned death, after the 

 manner of their poor kinsmen the tumble- 

 bugs. You had but to touch one of the 

 tumble-bugs, rolling his malodorous ball, ever 

 so lightly, to have him drop motionless. 

 Then you might turn him upon his back, 

 and by watching five minutes, see him right 

 himself, and either go on with his ball or 



