The Life of the Weevil 



the reason why the cigar-roller of the vine 

 was called the Rhynchites of the Birch (R. 

 betuleti, FAB.). 



If there be in fact a Weevil that exploits 

 the birch-tree, it is certainly not the same as 

 that of the vineyards: the two leaves to be 

 rolled are too dissimilar in shape and size 

 to suit the same worker. 



Recorders of descriptions, you who, under 

 the scrupulous eye of the magnifying-glass, 

 specify the shapes and establish the identity 

 of the animal species, before you give names 

 and surnames to your impaled insects, pray, 

 pray enquire a little into their manner of 

 life. By so doing, you will see things more 

 clearly, you will avoid much detestable 

 nonsense and you will spare the novice such 

 doubts as those which obsess him when he 

 finds himself obliged to label a Weevil inha- 

 biting the vine-branches as a Rhynchites of 

 the Birch. We are ready to excuse caco- 

 phonous syllables and grating consonants; 

 but we reject with exasperation a name that 

 misrepresents the facts. 



In her work the Vine-Weevil pursues the 

 same method as the Poplar-Weevil. The 

 leaf is first pricked with the rostrum at 

 160 



