A female Cantharides is peacefully nibbling her leaf. A lover comes upon the scene, approaches her from behind, suddenly mounts upon her back and embraces her with his two pairs of hind-legs. Then with his abdomen, which he lengthens as much as possible, he energetically slaps that of the female, on the right side and the left by turns. It is like the strokes of a washerwoman's bat, delivered with frenzied rapidity. With his antennae and his fore-legs, which remain free, he furiously lashes the neck of the victim. While the blows fall thick as hail, in front and behind, the head and corselet of the amorous swain are shaken by an extravagant swaying and trembling. You would think that the creature was having an epileptic fit. Meanwhile, the beloved makes herself small, opening her wing-cases slightly, hiding her head and tucking her abdomen under her, as though to escape the erotic thunderstorm that is bursting upon her back. But the paroxysm calms down. The male extends his fore-legs, shaken by a nervous tremor, like the arms of a cross and in this ecstatic posture seems to call upon the heavens to witness the ardour of his desires. The antennae and the belly are held motionless, in a straight line; the head and the corselet alone continue to heave rapidly up and down. This period of repose does not last long. Short as it is, the female, her appetite undisturbed by the passionate protestations of her wooer, imperturbably resumes the nibbling of her leaf. Another paroxysm bursts forth. Once more the male's blows rain upon the neck of the tightly-clasped victim, who hastens to bow her head upon her breast. But he has no intention of allowing his lady-love to escape. With his fore-legs, using a special notch placed at the juncture of the leg and the tarsus, he seizes both her antennae. The tarsus folds back; and the antennae are held as in a vice. The suitor pulls; and the callous one is forced to raise her head. In this posture the male reminds one of a horseman proudly sitting his steed and holding the reins in both hands. Thus mastering his mount, he is sometimes motionless and sometimes frenzied in his demonstrations. Then, with his long abdomen, he lashes the female's hinder-parts, first on one side, then on the other; the front part he flogs, hammers and pounds with blows of his antennae, head and feet. The object of his desires will be unfeeling indeed if she refuse to surrender to so passionate a declaration.