DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11636#0406
372. TRAVELS IN UPPER
convex above, and almost as thick as broad. The
claws were short, the thighs broad and thick ;
those of the posterior pair of claws in particular,
were uncommonly broad, and had the form of
little balls in some degree flattened. This extra-
ordinary size of the hinder legs gave this scarabeus
a very singular carriage.
Its colours are easy to describe. It is of a beau-
tiful shining black above : a golden line marks the
separation of the head and the corselet; the an-
tennae, the claws, and the under part of the body,
are entirely reddish.
I had observed upon the sand a trace, which
formed a regular design, and which at first led me
to imagine that this was the impression of the folds
of a serpent. Curious to know to what animal this
track belonged, I followed it for about a hundred
paces, and I discovered the scarabeus, which was
proceeding on his way heavily and incessantly. He
must have taken a long time to traverse this space.
His thick and round body, his short claws of an
astonishing size, in comparison of the whole mass,
indicated his strength, which he seemed to employ
in making little journies through the desert.
We likewise saw a very little serpent shining
with the most beautiful colours. We could not
come up with it before it had creeped into a hole,
concealed by the low branches of a shrub.
convex above, and almost as thick as broad. The
claws were short, the thighs broad and thick ;
those of the posterior pair of claws in particular,
were uncommonly broad, and had the form of
little balls in some degree flattened. This extra-
ordinary size of the hinder legs gave this scarabeus
a very singular carriage.
Its colours are easy to describe. It is of a beau-
tiful shining black above : a golden line marks the
separation of the head and the corselet; the an-
tennae, the claws, and the under part of the body,
are entirely reddish.
I had observed upon the sand a trace, which
formed a regular design, and which at first led me
to imagine that this was the impression of the folds
of a serpent. Curious to know to what animal this
track belonged, I followed it for about a hundred
paces, and I discovered the scarabeus, which was
proceeding on his way heavily and incessantly. He
must have taken a long time to traverse this space.
His thick and round body, his short claws of an
astonishing size, in comparison of the whole mass,
indicated his strength, which he seemed to employ
in making little journies through the desert.
We likewise saw a very little serpent shining
with the most beautiful colours. We could not
come up with it before it had creeped into a hole,
concealed by the low branches of a shrub.