The Botanical Instinct 
latum, Scor.). The difference in the colour 
of the flowers causes her no hesitation. 
Can she be apprised by the majestic stat- 
ure, by the sturdy prickles? No, for we 
next see her established on a humble and 
much less savage plant, Carduus nigrescens, 
VILL., which rises hardly more than nine 
inches from the ground. 
Can it be the size of the heads that regu- 
lates her choice? Not so, either, for the 
paltry heads of Carduus tenuiflorus, CART., 
are accepted as readily as the sizable blooms 
of the above three thistles. 
But the subtle expert is even cleverer than 
this. Regardless of mien, foliage, flavour 
or colour, she actively exploits Kentro- 
phyllum lanatum, D. C., a plant with 
wretched yellow flowers soiled by the dust of 
the roads. To recognize a Carduacea in 
this dry and unsightly plant you have to be 
a botanist or a Weevil. 
A fourth Larinus (L. scolymi, OLIv.) 
surpasses the Spangled Larinus. We find 
her at work on the garden artichoke and the 
garden cardoon, both of them giants that 
lift their great blue heads to a height of six 
feet and more. We meet her afterwards on 
85 
