384 Some Ethnological Observations . [July, 
committed to a number of beings who proceed on very 
different principles. Some, such as the dung-beetles and 
sexton-beetles, bury the offensive matter in the earth, so 
that its odours and other exhalations are absorbed by the 
soil, and cease to be a nuisance. These creatures, more- 
over, prey on no other kind of matter, so that there is no 
fear of taint or disease being spread by their agency. Hence 
they may be called model scavengers. Others again, among 
which a great number of two-winged flies may be included, 
eat carrion and excrement, and deposit their eggs in it, but 
leave it on the surface of the earth, and for the time being 
intensify its putrefa<ftion. Further, these flies do not confine 
themselves to putrescent matter, but settle upon and feed on 
a great variety of substances, living or lifeless, and thus 
spread decomposition and disease. They are, in fatrt, the 
worst of conceivable scavengers. Where they remove one 
nuisance they occasion ten. Yet Nature employs them, it 
would seem, in preference to the perfect sanitary workers 
previously mentioned. In preference, we say, because the 
bad workers seem to become more plentiful, whilst the 
perfect workers are losing ground. 
We have thus attempted to give not a catalogue, but 
merely a few instances where Nature does not appear to a 6i 
according to the principles of economy, but rather of care- 
lessness and waste. On what system such prodigality is 
intermingled with a parsimony so extreme as in some cases 
to defeat its own ends, we are unable to explain. 
II. SOME ETHNOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
By Cl. de Crbspigny. 
AVING read somewhere that Jewesses in Eastern 
Europe have their heads shaved at marriage, and 
ever afterwards wear wigs, it occurred to me that 
this might be a custom derived from the Ancient Egyptians, 
who we know wore them habitually, — perhaps that when 
in private they might, by taking them off, enjoy more cool- 
ness than if they wore their natural hair. 
