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to us。
Each has its rank assigned； each has its task； to one the flower； to
another the roots； to a third the leaves； the vine has its caterpillars；
its beetles； its butterflies； the clover； its moths and mites。 （10/6。）
Man sees himself forced to submit to them； and spends himself in vain
efforts to carry on an often useless campaign。 Nothing seems to affect
them； neither drought； nor rain； nor even the severest cold； and the eggs
and larvae； organizations apparently delicate in the extreme； are often
more tenacious of life than the adults。 Fabre has proved this： let the
temperature suddenly fall twenty degrees： the eggs of Geotrupes and the
larvae of the cockchafer or the rose…beetle endure such vicissitudes of
temperature with impunity； contracted and stiffened into little masses of
ice； but not destroyed； they revive in spring no less than the eel fry； the
rotifers； or the tardigrades。 One can scarcely believe that life still
persists in a state of suspense only in these little frozen creatures；
whose organization is already so complicated。
Then； of a sudden； the ravagers disappear； more often than not none knows
how or why； deliverance is at hand。 What indeed would become of the world
were nothing to moderate such fecundity？
Again； each species has its trials which appear in time to moderate its
surplusage； and Fabre expounds for us； with a stern philosophy； the
terrible devices by which this repression is effected。
Each has its appointed enemy； which lives upon it or its offspring； and
which in turn becomes the prey of some smaller creature。 The gentle itself；
〃the king of the dead；〃 has its parasites。 While it swims in the
deliquescence of putrefying flesh a minute Chalcidian perforates its skin
with an imperceptible wound； and introduces its terrible eggs； whence in
the future will issue larvae which to…morrow will devour the devourers of
to…day。
None exists save to the detriment of others。 Everywhere； even in the
smallest； we find 〃an atrocious activity； a cunning brigandage；〃 a savage
extermination； which dominates a vast unconscious world of which the final
result is the restoration of equilibrium。 （10/7。） It is only on these
antagonisms； on the enemies of our enemies； that we can found any hope of
seeing this or that pest disappear。 A small Hymenopteron； almost invisible；
the Microgaster glomeratus； is entrusted with the destruction of the
cabbage caterpillar； the cochineal wages war to the death upon the green…
fly； the Ammophila is the predestined murderer of the harvest Noctuela；
whose misdeeds in a beetroot country often amount to a disaster。 The
Odynerus has for its instinctive mission to arrest the excessive
multiplication of a lucerne weevil； no less than twenty…four of whose grubs
are necessary to rear the offspring of the brigand； and nearly sixty
gadflies are sacrificed to the growth of a single Bembex。
Everywhere craft is organized to triumph over force。 Around each nest the
parasites lie in wait； 〃atrocious assassins of the child in the cradle；
watching at the doors for the favourable occasion to establish their family
at the expense of others。 The enemy penetrates the most inaccessible
fortress； each has its tactics of war； devised with a terrible art。 Of the
nest and the cocoon of the victim the intruder makes its own nest； its own
cocoon； and in the following year； instead of the master of the house； he
will emerge from underground as the usurping bandit； the devourer of the
inhabitant。〃
While the cicada is absorbed in laying her eggs an insignificant fly
labours to destroy them。 How express the calm audacity of this pigmy；
following closely after the colossus； step by step； several at once almost
under the talons of the giant； which could crush them merely by treading on
them？ But the cicada respects them； or they would long ago have
disappeared。〃 （10/8。）
Fabre thus agrees with Pasteur； who in the world of the infinitely little
shows us the same antagonisms； the same vital competition； the same eternal
movement of flux and reflux； the same whirlpool of life； which is
extinguished only to reappear： tending always towards an equilibrium which
is incessantly destroyed。 And it is thanks to this balancing that the
integral of life remains everywhere and always almost identical with
itself。
CHAPTER 11。 HARMONIES AND DISCORDS。
Such indeed is the economy of nature that secret relations and astonishing
concordances exist throughout the whole vast weft of things。 There are no
loose ends； everything is consequent and ordered。 Hidden harmonies meet and
mingle。
Among the terebinth lice； 〃when the population is mature； the gall is ripe
also； so fully do the calendars of the shrub and the animal coincide〃； and
the mortal enemy of the Halictus； the sinister midge of the springtime； is
hatched at the very moment when the bee begins to wander in search of a
location for its burrows。
The fantastic history of the larvae of the Anthrax furnishes us with one of
the most suggestive examples of these strange coincidences。 （10/9。）
The Anthrax is a black fly； which sows its eggs on the surface of the nests
of the Mason…bee； whose larvae are at the moment reposing in their silken
cocoons。
〃The grub of the Anthrax emerges and comes to life under the touch of the
sunlight。 Its cradle is the rugged surface of the cell； it is welcomed into
the world by a literally stony harshness。。。Obstinately it probes the chinks
and pores of the nest； glides over it； crawls forward； returns； and
recommences。 The radicle of the germinating seed is not more persevering；
not more determined to descend into the cool damp earth。 What inspiration
impels it？ What compass guides it？ What does the root know of the fertility
of the soil？。。。The nurseling； the seed of the Anthrax； is barely visible；
almost escaping the gaze of the magnifying glass； a mere atom compared to
the monstrous foster…mother which it will drain to the very skin。 Its mouth
is a sucker； with neither fangs nor jaws； incapable of producing the
smallest wound； it sucks in place of eating； and its attack is a kiss。〃 It
practises； in short； a most astonishing art； 〃another variation of the
marvellous art of feeding on the victim without killing it until the end of
the meal； in order always to have a store of fresh meat。 During the
fourteen days through which the nourishment of the Anthrax continues； the
aspect of the larva remains that of living flesh； until all its substance
has been literally transferred； by a kind of transpiration； to the body of
the nurseling； and the victim； slowly exhausted； drained to the last drop；
while retaining to the end just enough life to prove refractory to
decomposition； is reduced to the mere skin； which； being insufflated； puffs
itself out and resumes the precise form of the larva； there being nowhere a
point of escape for the compressed air。〃
Now the grub of the Anthrax 〃appears precise