The Life of the Weevil 



die will permit, let us be on the alert; for very 

 interesting things are about to happen. Let 

 me describe them hour by hour. 



8. A. M. The larva is not making use 

 of the twig with which I provided it. It 

 is crawling along the glass, darting its pointed 

 head now this way, now that. With a gentle 

 creeping movement that causes an undulation 

 of the back and belly, it is trying to settle it- 

 self comfortably. After two hours of this 

 effort, which is certain to be accompanied by 

 an emission of viscous fluid, it finds a position 

 to its taste. 



10 A. M. Being now fixed to the glass, 

 the larva has shrunk into the semblance of a 

 little barrel, or a grain of wheat with rounded 

 ends. At one end is a shining black speck. 

 This is the head, jammed into a fold of the 

 first segment. The grub's colour is un- 

 changed : it is still a dirty yellow. 



i P. M. A copious emission of fine black 

 granules, followed by semifluid dejecta. To 

 avoid soiling its future residence and to pre- 

 pare the intestine for the delicate chemistry 

 about to follow, the grub purges itself before- 

 hand of its impurities. It is now a uniform 

 pale yellow, without the cloudy markings 

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