The Botanical Instinct 



Weevils from the point of view of their 

 botanical attainments. 



Scorning variety, the Spotted Larinus is a 

 specialist of immovable convictions. Her 

 domain is the blue ball of the echinops, n 

 exclusive domain, valueless to the others. 

 She alone appreciates it, she alone exploits 

 it; and nothing else suits her. 



This particularity, an unchangeable family 

 inheritance, must greatly facilitate her 

 search. When, on the return of the warm 

 weather, the insect leaves her hiding-place, 

 which is doubtless not far from the spot 

 where she was born, she easily finds, on the 

 banks by the road-side, her favourite plant, 

 which is already tipping its branches with 

 pale-blue globes. The dear heritage is 

 recognized without hesitation. She climbs 

 into it, rejoices in her nuptial diversions and 

 waits for the azure balls to mature to the re- 

 quisite stage. The blue thistle is familiar to 

 her though she sees it for the first time. It 

 was the only one known in the past; it is the 

 only one known in the present. There is no 

 confusion possible. 



The second Larinus, the Bear, begins to 

 vary her flora to some extent. I know that 

 81 



