thai infefled the Corn in the Tear 1 795. 2 J 1 



clined to think, feeds even on the 'Thrifts, which has been one prin- 

 cipal reafon why we could not breed it.— Mr. Kirby, indeed, men- 

 tions that one of two infects which he faw, befide thofc particu- 

 larly defcribed, was devoured voracioufly by the other, which was a 

 hexapod, and therefore very probably a Thrifts, or at lead an hemip- 

 terous in feci. The Forficula auricularia, which Mr. Kirby alio met 

 with on the wheat, I prefume, from many obfervations I had an 

 opportunity of making about two years fince, is not carnivorous, 

 having feen it devour various fpecies of culinary plants with great 

 avidity. Its time of feeding is about midnight. 



Having communicated to Sir Jofeph Banks my thoughts on the 

 fubjecl of thefe infects, he fhewed me, and kindly permitted me to 

 make ufe of an elegant drawing (See tab. 22. fig. 9 — 12) which he 

 had directed to be made from fome wheat lent him from Yorkihire. 

 This drawing feems to open a new field in the entomological fcience. 



Fig. 9 represents a fpicula of the Triticum hybernum of its natural 

 fize. 



Fig. 10 is a flower expanded, and highly magnified. 



A. A clufter of the little larva? before defcribed, much 



magnified, that had taken up their refidence in 

 v ; the corolla. 



B. The ftamina of their ufual fize, 



C. The ftyles, ditto. 



D. The germen fcarce at all fwelled. 



Fig. 11. The germen nearly complete, as it appeared in the 



other flowers of the fame ear. 

 Fig. 12. The larva magnified. 



It is curious to obferve that the parts of fructification remained 



unhurt much beyond the ufual time, although the fruit was not 



produced. 



K k 2 XXIV. De~ 



