Insects' Eggs. 323 



nious methods of concealing their eggs — for example, the 

 burying-beetle deposits hers in the decaying carcasses of such 

 animals as moles and mice, which they bury, if not already 

 beneath the surface. It is stated by an observer of their 

 operations, that in order to effect this object, several beetles 

 unite their labours and remove the earth from beneath the 

 dead body, which gradually sinks ; they then proceed to cover 

 it up, and frequently run backwards and forwards, apparently 

 for the purpose of ramming down the earth. According to 

 an eye-witness of the operations of these grave-diggers, four 

 beetles were observed to inter in a very small space of earth, 

 no fewer than twelve carcasses of various small animals. The 

 object of all this care and solicitude, is not alone the security 

 of their eggs, but to ensure an early supply of food for their 

 young. Another example is afforded from among the Sca- 

 rabceidoe, or larger kind of Dung- chaffers. The earth-borer 

 {Oeotrupes stercorarius) , an insect whose " drowsy hum" falls 

 so often on our ear, during a walk in the country in the still- 

 ness of an autumnal evening, digs round holes in the earth, 

 often of considerable depth, then conveys a small quantity of 

 dung to the bottom, in which the eggs are deposited. Each of 

 these is placed in the centre of a small ball or pellet carefully 

 prepared for this purpose ; when dry enough, the pellet is 

 transported, it may be to some distance from its place of pre- 

 paration, to be buried in the hole dug for its reception, and 

 what is somewhat remarkable, when it is unable to raise its 

 load from the ground, it rolls it along, or pushes the pellet 

 backwards with its hind legs. When the surface of the ground 

 is irregular, the labour is proportionably increased, and not 

 unfrequently the beetle is obliged to call in the assistance of 

 its help-mate, before it can overcome the obstacles which im- 

 pede it. According to some writers, the incessant and arduous 

 labour which these beetles were observed to undergo, led the 

 ancient Egyptians to regard them with a sort of sacred awe, 

 and as symbolical of the labours of Osiris. 



In form, colour, character, and beauty of design, the eggs 

 of insects are more surprisingly varied than those of the fea- 

 thered tribes;* but our acquaintance with the composition of 

 either exterior or interior is certainly not so complete as in the 

 case of birds. The eggs of the animal series differ conside- 

 rably in their external characteristics, nevertheless, all closely 

 resemble each other, while yet a part of the ovarian ovum. At 

 one period of their formation, all eggs consist of three nearly 

 similar parts. First, The internal nucleated cell or germinal 



* The elaboration of structure and variety of forms in a large number of 

 eggs, might be turned to a practical account, as many suggest patterns of great 

 beauty and delicacy for art-design3. 



