184 Annals Entomological Society of America [Vol. VII, 
column of the stamens (plate X XIX, fig. 29); next the pests 
may work their way down into, and entirely destroy the cup- 
shaped disc beneath the column and finally they may penetrate 
into the long peduncle. The flower often drops from its stalk 
(plate XXIX fig. 30) on account of a decay which follows an 
infestation. The wall of the peducle is now eaten until only a 
thin, papery envelope remains, which encloses a yellowish 
substance similar to that observed in the infested stems. No 
evidence was found that the larve pass through the node which 
shuts off the hollow peduncle from the stem, but at this node 
puparia were occasionally found. 
In the pistillate flowers the larvee devour the stigmas and 
styles, leaving a decayed mass to which the corolla clings. The 
maggots then descend into the ovary and often the withered 
corolla becomes detached (plate XXIX, fig. 25) and drops 
to the ground, leaving a black, flower scar (plate XXIX, fig. 
22). As the ovary is devoured, decay sets in, the pulp becomes 
spongy (plate X XIX, figs. 23 and 24) and the channels are filled 
with wriggling maggots. After the larve bore out, the ovary 
turns black and either detaches from the pumpkin vine (plate 
XXIX, fig. 27) and drops to the ground, or remains adhering to 
the vine as a dried, shriveled mass (plate X XIX, fig. 26). 
8. Injury to pumpkins —-A green pumpkin which is in- 
fested with a small number of melon fly larvee may continue to 
grow after the maggots have bored out, but when attcked by a 
large number of the pest, the pumpkin turns black and decays. 
After the larve have bored out of a green pumpkin, the wound 
becomes covered by a gummy substance (plate XXVIII, fig. 10). 
During the further development of this cucurbit, the resinous 
material often cracks and a second oviposition may occur in the 
crevices. If a ripe pumpkin is reinfested with a large number 
of maggots a rapid decay changes the pulp into a semi-liquid 
mass possessing a most sickening rancid odor. The rind may now 
collapse (plate XXVIII, fig. 15), and the thick, liquid contents 
then oozes out. After the maggots bore out, only the rind 
containing the seeds remains. A glance at plate XXVIII, figures 
13 and 14, shows the remains of two pumpkins which were turned 
over to show the side that had been resting on the ground. In 
such cases the seeds drop to the ground and often germinate. 
When a ripe pumpkin is reinfested with a small number of 
larvee the rind does not collapse (plate X XVIII, fig. 16) and the 
seeds within the semi-liquid pulp may then decay. 
