Page:Scientific Memoirs, Vol. 1 (1837).djvu/199

, speaking to his mistress of another slave, says that she imitates a dangerous beast:

"What is it, I pray?" says his mistress:

The slave replies: "The Involvolus, which rolls and envelops itself in the leaf of the vine. In the same manner does she purposely involve the meaning of her speech ."

In the Dictionary of Pomponius Festus we find this definition of the word Involvus: "Vermiculi genus qui involvit pampino."

No one can hesitate to recognise the Involvolus of Plautus in the Involvus of Festus. The word is the same with a very slight alteration. The curious industry of this insect is confirmed by the testimony of two authors; and we learn from Festus that the bestiola of Plautus was not a perfect insect, but the larva of an insect.

XV. Convolvulus.—Marcus Porcius Cato, in his treatise De Re Rustica, gives a recipe to guard the vine from the attacks of the insect named Convolvulus, which is there engendered. The directions are, to boil the residuum of oil until it acquires the consistency of honey, and then to anoint the top and the axillæ of each plant with the preparation.

"Convolvulus in vinea ne siet, amurcam condito," &c. And at the end, "Hoc vitem circum caput, et sub brachia unguito, Convolvulus non nascitur."

Pliny thus quotes this recipe :

"Ne Convolvulus fiat in vinea, amurcæ congios duos decoqui in crassitudinem mellis," &c., &c. And in the conclusion, "Hoc vites circa capita ac sub brachiis ungi; ita non fore Convolvulum."

These passages, which are the only ones in which the name Convolvulus occurs, contain no information respecting the insect intended by it, excepting, indeed, that it greatly injures the vine. We shall have to examine whether it be the same insect as the Involvulus of Plautus, or whether the two words are applied to two different insects.

XVI. Volvox.—It will not be necessary to inquire whether the insect