The Life of the Weevil 



something very nearly, the bean of Monte- 

 zuma, the Aztec ayacot, found its way from 

 Mexico to our kitchen-gardens. 



But it came to us unaccompanied by the 

 insect which is its titular consumer, for there 

 must certainly be a Weevil in its native 

 country which levies tribute on the generous 

 bean. Our indigenous nibblers of seeds have 

 disowned the foreigner; they have not yet 

 had time to become familiar with it and to 

 appreciate its merits; they have prudently 

 refrained from touching the ayacot, which 

 aroused suspicion because of its novelty. 

 Until our own days, therefore, the Mexican 

 bean remained unharmed, differing curiously 

 in this from our other legumina, all of which 

 are eagerly devoured by the Weevil. 



This state of things could not last. If 

 our fields do not contain the haricot-loving 

 insect, the New World knows it well. In 

 the ordinary way of commercial exchange, 

 some sack of worm-eaten beans was bound 

 to bring it to Europe. The invasion was 

 inevitable. 



Indeed, according to data in my possession, 

 it seems recently to have taken place. Three 

 or four years ago, I received from Mail- 

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