LEAF-ROLLERS 185 



labour, the Rhynchites works. And, as the workshop 

 is just at a man's height, nothing is more easy than to 

 observe the roller's actions. 



Easy, yes, but distressing, under a blazing sun, if one 

 would follow the insect in all the detail of its methods and 

 the progress of its work. Moreover, this involves a great 

 deal of walking, which takes up time ; and, again, it is not 

 favourable to precise observations, which require an in- 

 definite amount of leisure and assiduous visits at all hours 

 of the day. It would, therefore, be greatly preferable to 

 study the animal comfortably at home ; but it is above 

 all things necessary that she should lend herself to this 

 plan. 



The Rhynchites fulfils the condition excellently well. 

 She is a peaceable enthusiast and works on my table with 

 the same zest as in her poplar-tree. A few tender shoots, 

 planted in fresh sand, under a woven-wire cover, and 

 renewed as soon as they begin to fade, take the place of 

 the tree in my study. The Weevil, not in the least 

 intimidated, devotes herself to her industry even under 

 the lens of my magnifying-glass and supplies me with as 

 many scrolls as I could wish for. 



Let us watch her at work. She picks the leaf which 

 she proposes to roll from the young shoots sprouting in 

 sheaves at the base of the trunk, but picks it not among 

 the lower leaves, which are already the correct green and 

 of a firm texture, nor yet among the terminal leaves, 

 which are in a fair way of growing. Above, they are too 

 young, not wide enough ; below, they are too old, too 

 tough, too hard to manage. 



The leaf selected belongs to the intermediate rows. As 

 yet of a doubtful green, in which yellow predominates, 

 soft and glossy with varnish, it has, or has very nearly, 



24, 



