104 SECOND REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



with a magnifier their brown anterior end could be seen. Upon cutting 

 into the kernels, the pupse were found incased in a delicate silken co- 

 coon, held firmly in place by a packing of the large and yellow pellets 

 of the excrementa which filled the cavity made by the larva. The 

 cavity occupies about one-half of the transverse diameter of the kernel 

 and its entire longitudinal diameter, embracing the germinal portion, 

 beyond which was a mass of the excrementa adhering to the cob. In 

 no instance had a kernel been occupied by more than a single larva, 

 although the amount of food would have sufficed for two or more. 



Dr. Harris, in his account of the depredations of this insect upon 

 corn, mentions ears in which every kernel had been perforated, with 

 many of the kernels having three or four holes in each ; but these were 

 infested ears that had been tied up tightly in paper, and were opened 

 after the lapse of a year, during which time successive broods had been 

 developed and were compelled to utilize all of the available food. An 

 ear infested to this extent, and presumably from a similar cause, is shown 

 in Fig. i8, from Prof. Riley's Departmental Report for the year 1884. 



It being important to know whether this attack was made upon the 

 corn in the field, or after placing it in the Museum of the Experiment 

 Station, examination was made by Mr. Ladd after learning the different 

 conditions under which it might occur, to determine this point. He sub- 

 sequently wrote: " From careful examination of the field corn, I have 

 been unable to find a single instance of its occurrence until brought to 

 the Museum, and I now think that the whole round of life, in this in- 

 stance, is within the Museum." This conclusion is confirmed by the 

 fact that from other ears of corn sent late in October, moths continued 

 to emerge until into December, which would not have resulted from a 

 field attack. 



History of the Insect. 



The ravages of this insect seem to have been noticed in the United 

 States about the year 1730, when wheat was attacked by it in North 

 Carolina. At about the same time, and probably at an earlier period, 

 it attracted attention in France, for in 1736, the distinguished French 

 naturalist, Reaumur, gave an account of it illustrated with figures, but 

 did not give it a scientific name. Its ravages continued to increase 

 until in the year 1760, they had become so extensive, that the attention 

 of the government was drawn to it. At that time " the insect was found 

 to swarm in all the wheat-fields and granaries of Angoumois and of the 

 neighboring provinces, and the afflicted inhabitants were thereby de- 

 prived not only of their principal staple, wherewith they were wont to 

 pay their annual rents, taxes, and tithes, but were threatened with famine 



