The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1906-05-09
REASON AND FUN IN ANIMALS.
Performances of Beetles That Hint n
Possessing Human Traits.

Possessing Human Traits.
The sagacity of ants is so well known
that it has led a few naturaists to sus-
pect that many are endowed with rea'
son. In recent issue of Nature, w.
| Galloway describes the behavior of
some tiny black beetles which seems
to point in the same direction, and
even to a sense of fun, also.
The insects were about three-eighths
of an inch long, and were engaged in
rolling on a gentle slope balls of ma.
terial, half an inch in diameter, which
they evidently meant to store for food
Generally they would work in pairs
one beetle in front of the ball, pulling
on it, and the other behind, pushing.
Occasionally the ball would run away,
but the beetles would follow and re.
cover it, and conduct it to its destina.
ton. Once a ball that had escaped
changed its course abruptly. The pur.
suing beetles went down the grade to
its foot beside water course. Failing
to find it, they traversed the route up
and down several times, but without
discovering where it had gone. This
behavior was not so very wonderful,
perhaps, but an additional incident
mentioned by Mr.. Galloway is GER
tainly a little more so.
A solitary beetle rolling a compara'
lively new ball had reached a distance
of nine or ten inches from the heap
when a second unoccupied beetle, COM
ing from the opposite direction, stood
up in front of the rolling ball as if
with the intention of pulling it forward
and assisting the first. Instead of do
ing so, however, it brought the ball to
a dead stop. In vain the first beetle
tried to move the ball; the second held
it fast. The first then got down and
peeIed round the side of the ball, ap-
parently with the object of ascertain
ing the nature of the obstacle. While
this examination was proceeding the
second, with its forefeet still resting
upon the upper part of the ball, neither
pushed nor moved in any way.
The first then stood up again behind
the ball and pushed it as before, hut
still the ball did not move. For the
second time the beetle got down, made
an examination as before, then, crouch.
ing with its back well under the lower
curve of the ball, heaved with all its
might-in the same way as a workman
does in similar circumstances-but the
ball remained stationary. The first
beetle then came out from under the
ball, and was proceeding round its
right hand side With some new inten.
ton, when the two seemed to catch
sight of each other. The second beetle
threw itself on the ground with the
quickness of thought. and fed pursued
by the other, both running at their ut
most speed.
Fear, and q sense of guilt. seemed
to spur the fight of the one, resentment
and anger the pursuit of the other. In
q chase which was continued for dis.
lance of six inches the fleeing beetle,
which had started with an advantage
of about an inch and half. increased
the distance between its pursuer and it.
self to more than two inches, when
the former, seeing the futility of fur.
ther pursuit, stopped, returned to the
ball, and resumed its occupation of
rolling it.
The reason why the second beetle
stopped the ball, remained absolutely
motionless when the other got down
TO reconnoitre, and ran away when it
saw it was discovered. is not apparent.
Mr.. Galloway suspects, though, that
the performance was inspired by love
of amusement.