The Life of the Weevil 
larve grow up in the actual place where they 
are born. 
Now here, by a most unexpected change of 
tactics, the Cionus-grub, while still quite 
young, quits its natal cell, the capsule of the 
mullein; it longs for the outer world, that it 
may browse in the open air on the bark of a 
twig; and this entails upon it two inventions 
elsewhere unknown: the sticky coat, which 
gives it a firm hold when it moves from place 
to place, and the gold-beater’s-skin ampulla, 
which serves to house the nymph. 
What is the cause of this aberration? 
Two theories are suggested, one based on 
decadence, the other on progress. Of old, 
we tell ourselves, the mother Cionus, far 
back in the ages, used to obey the conventions 
of her tribe. Like the other Weevils that 
munch unripe seeds, she favoured large cap- 
sules, enough to feed a sedentary family. 
Later, by inadvertence or flightiness or for 
some other reason, she turned her attention 
to the stingy scollop-leaved mullein. Faith- 
ful to ancient custom, she rightly chose for 
her domain a plant of the same family as 
that which she first exploited; but it unfor- 
tunately happens that the mullein adopted is 
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