The Nut- Weevil 



away in the abdomen until the moment comes 

 for using it, the mother inserts her egg at 

 the base of the kernel. 



I see these nursery precautions only in my 

 mind's eye, but I see them very clearly, 

 enlightened as I am by my examination of 

 the nut converted into a cradle and above all 

 by the method of the Acorn-weevil. Still, 

 I might aim at something better than this; 

 I should like to witness the operation: rather 

 a hopeless ambition, I fear. 



In my neighbourhood, indeed, the hazel is 

 scarce and its regular exploiter is almost un- 

 known. Nevertheless, let us make the 

 experiment with the six hazel-trees which I 

 planted in the paddock long ago. First of 

 all we must stock them accordingly. 



A valley of the Gard, less parched than the 

 Serignan hills, provides me with a few couples 

 of the insect. They reach me by post at 

 the end of April, when the nut, still quite 

 light in colour, soft and flattish, is beginning 

 to emerge from the cup in which it is 

 sheathed. The kernel is far from formed; 

 there is just a beginning, a promise of a 

 kernel. 



In the morning, in glorious weather, I put 

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