The Spotted Larinus 



cell; and from both leaf and stalk it has 

 taken the ligneous particles which it had to 

 imbed in the cement. In short, except that 

 it is bare instead of surrounded with a 

 palisade, the fabric adhering to the stalk does 

 not differ from that hidden beneath the with- 

 ered florets of the thistle-head. 



People set great store by environment as 

 a modifying agent. Well, here we see this 

 famous environment at work. An insect is 

 placed as much out of its element as it can 

 be, but without leaving the food-plant, which 

 would inevitably be the end of it. Instead 

 of a ball of close-packed flowers it has for 

 its workshop the open axilla of a leaf; in- 

 stead of hairs — a soft fleece easily shorn 

 off — it has for its materials the fierce teeth 

 of the thistle. And these profound changes 

 leave the builder's talents unperturbed; the 

 house is built according to the usual plans. 



I agree that I have not allowed for the 

 influence of the centuries. But what would 

 this influence bring about? It is not very 

 clear. The Weevil born in an unusual place 

 retains no trace of the accident that has 

 happened. I extract the adult from his 

 exceptional cell. He does not differ, even in 

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