Thus a fallacy which, according to Fabre, dates from the time of the Pharaohs, viz. that every ball of dung which one might at any time see a Scarabæus beetle rolling and trundling along contained its egg, has been finally disposed of, nor is this the only one. It used to be thought, not only that any two beetles rolling a ball between them were male and female, but also that any single one that happened to be in difficulties would immediately fly off and summon a comrade or two to its aid. Fabre denies this altogether, and maintains that in this rolling away of provisions each individual beetle is purely a self-seeker. It is true, as we have seen, that the _bonne bouche_ will often be eaten by two Scarabæi—never more—in the cavern prepared beforehand for its reception, but, according to Fabre, this is only because it is to the mutual interest of both to act in this way, since neither can succeed in appropriating the ball to itself, in spite of efforts—which in other cases, however, may be successful—to do so. In all such cases the one beetle is the real owner of the ball, whilst the other is only there with the intention of stealing it if he can. Thus the thief will often let himself be pushed along by the honest worker, lying flat on the ball, and doing no work whatever, though at other times, when a rise in the ground makes it difficult for a single beetle to roll it, he will assist with all his power. Again, whilst the one Scarabæus is hollowing out a cave for the approaching banquet to take place in, the other, left with the ball, will, after some time, begin to go off with it alone, and unless pursued by the owner before he has gone too far, he accomplishes his purpose, and eats it all himself. Thus he has associated himself to the maker of the ball with the distinct idea of stealing it if he can. He has this plot in his mind, to pretend partnership, to even give real assistance, but to watch his opportunity and decamp when it occurs. That, at least, is the view suggested for our adoption, but I cannot say that it recommends itself to me. Fabre, in my opinion, has disposed of one error only to fall into another of precisely the same kind. He says very justly in regard to the idea that one beetle would deliberately fly away and summon others to its assistance, “It is no slight thing to admit that an insect has a truly surprising grasp of the situation, and a facility for communicating its ideas to others of its kind more surprising still. Are we to suppose that a Scarabæus in distress conceives the idea of begging for help, flies off, explores the country round, etc.?” Very true; but if we are not to suppose this, I certainly will not suppose, either, that this same Scarabæus can conceive the idea of pretending to assist another in order to rob him of his property. This would be as deep a laid scheme as the other, and the facts of the case, as given by Fabre himself, do not appear to me to lend themselves to such an explanation.