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informs us fully of its dominant characteristic； or which； at least； leaves
nothing to conjecture。〃
He considers it useless and even inconvenient to abandon many charming
expressions； appropriate and significant as they are； which may be borrowed
from the good old French tongue； and in this he resembles the immortal de
Jussieu； who in his botanical classifications was careful not to discard
the old popular denominations which Theophrastus； Virgil； and Linnaeus had
thought fit to bestow upon plant and tree。
It is for the same reasons that he loves the Proven？al tongue； that
beautiful idiom； that superb language； rich in music； in sonorous words； so
suggestive and so full of colour； many of whose terms； saying precisely
what they intend to say； have no equivalent in French。 He has learned the
language； and reads it： in particular Roumanille； whose easy； familiar
style pleases him better than the grandiloquence of Mistral； although he
delights also in Calendal； whose lyrical powers fill him with enthusiasm。
》From this ancient tongue； which was early as familiar to him as the French；
he borrowed certain mannerisms； certain tricks of style； certain
neologisms； and also； to some extent； his simplicity of manner and the
cadence of his prose。
It was not without difficulty that he attained this mastery。 Measure the
gulf between his first volumes and his last； in the first the style is
slightly nerveless and indefinite： it was only as he gradually advanced in
his career that he acquired what may be called his final manner； or
achieved； in his narratives； a perfect literary style。 The most
substantially constructed； the most happily expressed of his pages were
written principally in his extreme old age。 Not only is there no sign of
failing in these； but in his latest 〃Souvenirs〃 the perfection of form is
perhaps even more remarkable than the wealth of matter。
How vitally his scrupulous records impress the mind's eye； how firmly they
establish themselves in the memory！
Even if one has never seen the Pelopaeus； one readily conceives an
impression of 〃her wasp…like costume； and curving abdomen； suspended at the
end of a long thread。〃 What exactitude in this snapshot； taken at the
moment when the insect is occupied in scooping out of the mire the lump of
mud intended for the construction of her nest： 〃like a skilled housekeeper；
with her clothing carefully tucked up that it may not be soiled； the wings
vibrating； the limbs rigidly straightened； the black abdomen well raised on
the end of its yellow stalk； she rakes the mud with the points of her
mandibles； skimming the shining surface。〃 （12/4。）
He draws； in passing； this charming sketch of the gadfly； the pest of
horses； which nourishes itself with their blood：
〃Gadflies of several species used to take refuge under the silken dome of
my umbrella； and there they would quietly rest； one here； one there； on the
tightly stretched fabric； I rarely lacked their company when the heat was
overpowering。 To while away the hours of waiting； I used to love to watch
their great golden eyes； which would shine like carbuncles on the vaulted
ceiling of my shelter； I used to love to watch them slowly change their
stations； when the excessive heat of some point of the ceiling would force
them to move a little。〃 （12/5。）
We follow all the manoeuvres of the Balaninus； the acorn…weevil； 〃burying
her drill〃 which 〃operates by means of little bites。〃 The narrator calls
our attention to the slightest episodes； even to those accidents which
sometimes surprise the worker in the course of her labours； when； with the
rostrum buried deep in the acorn； her feet suddenly lose their hold。 Then
the unhappy creature； unable to free herself； finds herself suspended in
the air； at right angles to her proboscis； far from any foothold or point
of vantage； at the extremity of her disproportionately long pike； that
〃fatal stake。〃 （12/6。）
As for the poplar…weevil； we can almost see it moving 〃in the subtlest
equilibrium； clinging with its hooked talons to the slippery surface of the
leaf〃； we watch all the details of its methods and the progress of its
labours。 We see the flexed leaf assume the vertical under the awl…stroke
which the insect applies to the pedicle； 〃when； partially deprived of sap；
the leaf becomes more flexible； more malleable； it is in a sense partly
paralysed； only half alive。〃 Then we follow the rolling process； 〃the
imperturbable deliberation of the worker as it rolls its cigar； which
finally hangs perpendicularly at the end of the bent and wounded stem。〃
（12/7。）
Fabre； like a true artist； finds all sorts of expressions to describe the
tiny； fragile eggs of his insects； little shining pearls； delicious coffers
of nickel or amber； miniature pots of translucid alabaster； 〃which we might
think were stolen from the cupboard of a fairy。〃
He opens the enchanted alcoves wherein the puny grubs lie slumbering； 〃fat；
rounded puppets〃； the tender larvae which 〃gape and swing their heads to
and fro〃 when the mother returns to the nest with her toothsome mouthful or
her crop swollen with honey。
What compassion； what tenderness； what sensitiveness in the affecting
picture of the mother Halictus； abandoned； deprived of her offspring；
bewildered and lost； when the terrible spring fly has destroyed her house：
bald； emaciated； shabby； careworn； already dogged by the small grey lizard！
（12/8。）
The tragedy of the wasps' nest at the approach of the first chills of
winter is the final fragment of an epic。 At first there is a sort of
uneasiness； 〃a species of indifference and anxiety which broods over the
city〃； already it has a presentiment of coming misfortune； of an
approaching catastrophe。 Presently a wild excitement ensues； the foster…
mothers； 〃frightened； fierce； and restless；〃 as though suddenly attacked by
an incomprehensible insanity； conceive an aversion for the young； 〃the
neuters extirpate the larvae and drag them out of the nest；〃 and the drama
of destruction draws to a close with 〃the final catastrophe； the infirm and
the dying are dismembered； eviscerated； dissected in a heap in the
catacombs by maggots； woodlice； and centipedes。〃 Finally the moth comes
upon the scene； its larvae 〃attacking the dwelling itself； gnawing and
destroying the joists and rafters； until all is reduced to a few pinches of
dust and shreds of grey paper。〃 （12/9。）
What picturesque expressions he employs to depict； by means of some
significant feature； the striking peculiarities of the insect physiognomy！
〃The gipsy who night and day for seven months goes to and fro with her
brats upon her back〃 is the Lycosa； the Tarantula with the black stomach；
the great spider of the wastes。
The larva of the great Capricornis； which gnaws the interior of old oak…
trees； 〃leaving behind it； in the form of dry…rot； the refuse of its
digestive processes；〃 is 〃a scrap of intestine which eats its way as