HESSIAN FLY. 81 



to upwards of 72 in England and about 20 in Scotland, these 

 being centres often representing districts and sometimes many 

 miles of area of attack. 



In 1888 there was a most marked and satisfactory decrease 

 of presence. Little mention of the presence of the pest was 

 made in the agricultural journals save a note somewhat 

 vaguely worded of it being ** all over " one of the southern 

 counties, and only about six reports were sent to myself, 

 although I had reason to believe infestation was reliably 

 reported in a few other cases. 



In 1889, again, there were only about the same number of 

 reports sent ; but in almost all these instances, where it was 

 observed at all, it was noted as being very prevalent, that is, 

 it was noticeable on much of the straw; but also it appeared, 

 from my own observations and report sent, that each attacked 

 straw often was not infested by more than one or two 

 maggots. 



In the same year it could not be found at Daleally Farm, 

 near Errol, the locality of one of the first observations 

 of Hessian Fly in Scotland, and no reports of its presence 

 were sent me from Scotland ; nor has it yet been recorded as 

 found in Ireland.* 



At present we are only aware of the summer form of 

 Hessian Fly attack (that is the attack to the growing straw) 

 being observed in this country. 



The minute reddish eggs are laid so that the maggot which 

 hatches from them can place itself a little above a knot, and 

 there, remaining quietly at one spot, the white legless 

 maggot t (or in bad attacks many of the maggots) feed by 

 sucking away the juices outside the stalk, but inside the 

 leaf-sheath. Commonly this is just above the second knot, 

 but the attack may occur lower down at the first knot, or close 



* In the above notes I have specified the information as being reported to 

 myself, as the most vague and wild ideas were prevalent, and it was impossible 

 to report anything on the subject trustworthily without examination of speci- 

 mens, or from qualified observers. 



+ " The erjrj is very minute, about the fiftieth of an inch long, cylindrical, 

 pointed at each end, the shell shining and transparent, the 

 egg being of a pale red colour when the embryo is nearly 

 developed." 



" The larva. — After remaining about four days in the egg- 

 state the larva or maggot of the Hessian Fly hatches, and is of 

 the form represented. The body is soft, smooth, shining, oval, 

 cylindrical, beneath a little flattened, and consists of twelve 

 segments besides the head, the latter soft, fleshy, and but 

 little separated from the body, with very rudimentary ^"•"^ 

 mouth-parts." — ' Hessian Fly Eeport of Department of Agri- 

 culture,' U.S.A., 1880-82 p. 208, previously cited. ^les'sian^Ffrna'i! 



The figures of egg and larva are copied from the same size aud mag. 

 report. 



G 



