The Nut-Weevil 
away in the abdomen until the moment comes 
for using it, the mother inserts her egg at 
the base of the kernel. 
I see these nursery precautions only in my 
mind’s eye, but I see them very clearly, 
enlightened as I am by my examination of 
the nut converted into a cradle and above all 
by the method of the Acorn-weevil. Still, 
I might aim at something better than this; 
I should like to witness the operation: rather 
a hopeless ambition, I fear. 
In my neighbourhood, indeed, the hazel is 
scarce and its regular exploiter is almost un- 
known. Nevertheless, let us make the 
experiment with the six hazel-trees which I 
planted in the paddock long ago. First of 
all we must stock them accordingly. 
A valley of the Gard, less parched than the 
Sérignan hills, provides me with a few couples 
of the insect. They reach me by post at 
the end of April, when the nut, still quite 
light in colour, soft and flattish, is beginning 
to emerge from the cup in which it is 
sheathed. The kernel is far from formed; 
there is just a beginning, a promise of a 
kernel. 
In the morning, in glorious weather, I put 
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