146 FORTT-FIFTH REPORT ON THE StATE MuSEUM, 



Much earlier than this, according to Mr. Cole, the midg^id fruit can 

 be readily detected — more easily, if possible, than at a later period ; 

 for soon after the falling of the blossoms, the operations of the larvae 

 cause a marked enlargement of the forming fruit, which is presumably 

 (although it was not so stated) acconipanied with more or less 

 distortion. 



On cutting open the fruit, a large central cavity is see.i within it, 

 occupying most of its interior, quite irregular in form and often made 

 up of smaller cavities separated by thin walls or by the remains of the 

 core. Among these the larv;e are distributed, instead of being collected 

 in one mass. Repeatedly, when all had been removed that were at 

 first visible, sometimes as many more could be extracted or would creep 

 out from side cavities. The average number of larvse occurring in the 

 Catskill fruit may be stated at twenty. In one pear thirty -four were 

 counted. 



How the Larvag Leave the Fruit. 



The infested fruit does not fall from the tree. The first rain of 

 several hours' duration that may occur about the 1st of June causes 

 the fruit to crack opeu, sometimes at different points, but often in an 

 interrupted line around the enlarged portion near the base. Through 

 these gaping openings the larvoe, now mature, find easy egress, when 

 they at once emerge and drop to the ground. Or the rain, under 

 different conditions of the fruit, may cause it to soften, blacken and 

 decay in spots, and these Avould serve as outlets for the larvae. So eager 

 do they seem to be for their escape that a rain of twenty-four hours' 

 duration would be followed by the emergence of considerably the 

 greater part of them within a day thereafter. 



Wet, and its attendant breaking down of the structure of the pear, 

 seems indispensible for freeing the larvae and their subsequent develop- 

 ment. I have not known them to emerge through the calyx end, and 

 do not believe that they ever do so. Some infested fruit picked on 

 the 25th of May before rain had fallen and brought to my oMce, 

 gradually dried up unbroken and blackened, without releasing a single 

 one of its occupants. On tiie 15th of June living larvse only were 

 contained in the dried fruit. On the 25th of August a few of the 

 larvae were still alive, but most had died; at the present date, October 

 10th, all that I examine are dead and hardened. Tha fruit, having 

 given out its larv* as above described, continues to hang upon the tree 

 for a while thereafter, but in a few^ days shrinks, blackens, and falls to 

 the ground. Under date of June 10th Mi\ Cole reported that nearly 

 all of the raidged pears had, at that time, fallen. 



