The Bear Larinus 



cabin and go to take part in the festival 

 of spring. 



In majesty of bearing and magnificence 

 of blossom our kitchen-gardens have nothing 

 superior to the cardoon and its near relative 

 the artichoke. Their heads grow to double 

 the size of a man's fist. Outside are spiral 

 series of imbricated scales which, without 

 being aggressive, diverge at maturity in the 

 shape of broad, stiff, pointed blades. 

 Beneath this armament is a fleshy, hemi- 

 sperical swelling, as big as half an orange. 



From this rises a serried mass of long 

 white hairs, a sort of fur, than which a Polar 

 Bear's is no thicker. Closely surrounded by 

 this hair, the seeds are crowned with feathers 

 which double the thickness of the shaggy 

 chevaux de frise. Above this, delighting the 

 eye, blooms the spreading tuft of flowers, 

 coloured a splendid lapis lazuli, like that of 

 the cornflower, the joy of the harvest. 



This is the chief domain of a third Larinus 

 (L. scolymi, Oliv.), a big Weevil, thickset, 

 broad-backed, powdered with yellow ochre. 

 The cardoon, which provides our table with 

 the fleshy veins of its leaves, but whose heads 

 are disdained, is the insect's customary home; 

 6i 



