Alas, no! Once more I am cheated; my eight hours of observation have been fruitless.

The Balaninus decamps; abandons her acorn without laying her eggs.

I was certainly right to distrust the result of observation in the open woods.

Such concentration among the oaks, exposed to the sun, wind, and rain would have been an intolerable task.
During the whole of October, with the aid of such helpers as are needed, I remark a number of borings, not followed by the laying of eggs.

The duration of the observer's task varies greatly.