It usually amounts to a couple of hours; sometimes it exceeds half the day.
With what object are these perforations made, so laborious and yet so often unused?
Let us first of all discover the position of the egg, and the first mouthfuls taken by the grub, and perhaps the reply will be found.
The peopled acorns remain on the oak, held in their cups as though nothing had occurred to the detriment of the cotyledons.

With a little attention they may be readily recognised.

Not far from the cup, on the smooth, still green envelope of the acorn a little point is visible; a tiny needle-prick.

A narrow brown aureole, the product of mortification, is not long in appearing.

This marks the opening of the hole.