Other Leaf-Rollers 



the castaway of the torrent, like so many 

 others, tells us. 



Let us watch her at work on the alder and 

 we shall know how she labours on the hazel- 

 bush. The Apoderus does not know the 

 method of the Rhynchites, who, to kill the 

 elasticity of the leaf to be rolled, makes a 

 deep puncture in the stalk. The red leaf- 

 roller has a special modus operandi^ in no 

 way related to that of the puncture. 



Can this change of method be due to the 

 absence of the rostrum, of the fine awl 

 capable of being driven into the narrow leaf- 

 stalk? It is possible, but not certain, for 

 the snout, an excellent pair of shears, could 

 cut half through the leaf-stalk at a bite and 

 obtain an equivalent result. I prefer to see 

 in the novel procedure one of those methods 

 which are the separate property of every 

 specialist. We must never judge of the 

 work by the tool employed. The insect is 

 an adept at using any sort of implement, 

 even though defective. 



The fact is that with her mandibles the 



Apoderus slashes the alder-leaf cross-wise, 



at some distance from the base. The whole 



leaf is cut clean through, including even the 



183 



