The Life of the Weevil 



accentuates the grace of the plants around it. 

 By striking a harsh and dissonant note, it 

 contributes to the general harmony. The 

 haughty thistle is really superb, standing 

 like a monument amidst the humility of the 

 lavender and thyme. 



Others might see in this thicket of halberds 

 a means of defence. But what has the 

 fierce thistle to defend, that it should bristle 

 in this way? Its seed? I doubt, indeed, 

 whether the Goldfinch, the accredited 

 pilferer of the Carduaceae, dare set foot on 

 this horrid arsenal. He would be spitted at 

 once. 



A humble Weevil will do what the bird 

 dares not undertake and will do it better. 

 She will entrust her eggs to the white tufts; 

 she will destroy the seed of the ferocious 

 plant, which, were it not subjected to a severe 

 thinning, would become an agricultural 

 calamity. 



At the beginning of July, I cut off a well- 

 flowered thistle-top; I dip the stem in a 

 bottle full of water and cover my repellent 

 bouquet with a wire-gauze cover, after stock- 

 ing it with a dozen Weevils. The pairing 



