The Life of the Weevil 



were their effort to cease, the cylinder might 

 at once come unrolled. There must be no 

 interruption of work for this brief diversion, 

 the insect's only enjoyment. 



The stoppage of the machine, which 

 remains tense in order to keep the recal- 

 citrant roll in subjection, is soon over. The 

 male retires to a little distance, without quit- 

 ting the leaf, and the task is resumed. 

 Sooner or later, before the seals are set up- 

 on the work, a fresh visit is paid by the 

 dawdler, who, under pretence of assisting, 

 comes running up, sticks his claws for a 

 moment into the partly-rolled piece, plucks 

 up courage and renews his exploits with as 

 much liveliness as though nothing had yet 

 occurred. And this is repeated three or 

 four times during the making of a single 

 cigar, so much so that we begin to wonder 

 whether the laying of each egg may not 

 require the direct cooperation of the insa- 

 tiable swain. 



It is true that numerous couples are 

 formed in the sunlight, on the leaves not yet 

 punctured. Here the nuptial gambols are 

 really a frolic unaffected by the stern 

 demands of labour. The insects revel un- 

 154 



