The Clonus 



moment of the nymphosis arrives, a retreat 

 in which the grub can undergo its transfor- 

 mation in peace becomes indispensible. The 

 vagabond has nothing of the sort. It is 

 homeless, it sleeps in the open air; yet it is 

 able, when the time comes, to make itself a 

 tent, a capsule, the materials for which are 

 supplied by its intestine. No other insect of 

 its order can build a home like this. Let us 

 hope that the hateful Chalcid, the murderer 

 of nymphs, will not visit it in its pretty little 

 tent. 



The grub that lives on the scollop-leaved 

 mullein has shown an utter revolution in the 

 habits of the Weevil clan. The better to 

 judge of this, let us consult a cognate species, 

 placed not far from the Cionus by the classi- 

 fiers; let us compare the two kinds of hfe, 

 on the one hand the exception and on the 

 other the rule. The comparison will be all 

 the more useful inasmuch as the new wit- 

 ness also exploits a mullein. It is known as 

 Gymnetron thapsicola, Germ. 



Dressed in russet homespun, with a plump 

 round body and about the size of the Cionus: 

 there you have the creature. Note the 

 quahfying thapsicola, meaning an inhabitant 



333 



