CHAPTER XVI 



THE CRIOCERES 



AM a stubborn disciple of St. Thomas 

 *■• the Apostle and, before I agree to any- 

 thing, I want to see and touch it, not once, 

 but twice, thrice, an indefinite number of 

 times, until my incredulity bows beneath the 

 weight of evidence. Well, the Rhynchites 1 

 have told us that the build does not deter- 

 mine the instincts, that the tools do not de- 

 cide the trade. And now, yes, the Crioceres 

 come and add their testimony. I question 

 three of them, all common, too common, in 

 my paddock. At the proper season, I have 

 them before my eyes, without searching for 

 them, whenever I want to ask them for in- 

 formation. 



The first is the Crioceris of the Lily, or 

 Lily-beetle. Since Latin words offend our 

 modesty let us just once mention her scientific 

 name, Crioceris merdigera, LIN., without 

 translating it, or, above all, repeating it. 



1 A genus of Weevils, the essays upon whom will ap- 

 pear in a later volume to be entitled The Life of the 

 W*4<vkL — Translator's Note. 



, will 



