378 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



[Oct. 



This portion of the straw, usually from one to two inches long, 

 though not swollen, was so hard that it could only be cut by a very 

 sharp knife. When this was done, yellow white larvjB were found in 

 cells, about j^ of an inch long, in the solid stem. As the result, the 

 lessened yield of grain has been attributed to the agency of these 

 pests: the eggs of which are white; 75 to 100 in number; 1 mm. 

 long ; and each with a pedicel two-and-one-half times as long as the 

 egg ; an egg is represented in Fig. 2. 



Agricultural professors have not failed to turn their entomological 

 pins and microscopes on this wheat pest, as usual with delightfully 

 varying results. Our readers may not object to a pictorial lesson 

 reproduced so far as woodcuts are concerned from the American 

 source, in which Professors A. J, Cook and C. V. Eiley interpret 

 each by different figures the insect whose ravages they both deplore. 

 Indeed, Professor Pdley also narrates instances of horses sickening 

 and having to be physicked for worms after feeding on straw such as 

 we have above described. 



Professor Cook designated the insect as Isosoma nigrum, new 

 species, giving at the same time an elaborate scientific description 

 of entomological details, which in the light of what follows need 

 not be reproduced. 



Fig. 3 represents a female Isosoma nigrum magnified 10 



Fig. 3. 



diameters. The length of the body is 4*4 mm. ; expanse of wing, 

 6*5 mm, ; greatest width of anterior wing, 1"1 mm. 



On the other hand, Fig. 4 represents a male Isosoma nigrum 

 magnified 18 diameters. The length of the body in this case is 



