28 CORN AND GRASS. [1899 



The maggots of T. oleracea are about an inch in length when full- 

 grown, cylindrical, legless, and about the thickness of a goose-quill, 

 with little dark or black heads furnished with minute horns and strong 

 jaws, which heads they can retract or protrude at pleasure. 



The maggots of T. viaculosa are very similar to the above in general 

 appearance, excepting in being smaller, only about three-quarters of 

 an inch in length, and the thickness of a large crow's-quill; and in both 

 instances the colour is of some shade of earthy grey. But the two 

 kinds may be distinguished (with the help of a magnifier) by the 

 arrangement of tubercles, or fleshy protuberances, present at the edge 

 of the truncated tail segment. In the case of oleracea the edge above is 

 furnished with fmr fleshy tubercles, more or less pointed, and below 

 are two more. In the case of maculosa the truncated tail is furnished 

 above with, tivo spreading hooks and ttvo short teeth betiveen them, and below 

 with two tubercles. There are also two fleshy protuberances capable 

 of being protruded or withdrawn . 



The maggot of oleracea changes to the chrysalis in the earth, and 

 presently, by means of transverse rows of spines, works itself through 

 the surface of the ground, till about half the length is exposed (see 

 figure, p. 26), and then by means of cracking open the horny covering 

 the developed fly within makes its escape. This change may take 

 place from the beginning of August (or even earlier) or during autumn, 

 and some come out in spring. The larvre, vide p. 29, may sometimes 

 be found doing great mischief as early as the middle of March. 



I am not aware of there being any difference worth mentioning in 

 the life-history of maculosa either in maggot or chrysalis state from 

 that of oleracea. 



On July 7th the following communication was sent me by Mr. 

 Robert Scott (shepherd), from Phaupknowe (? Newcastleton, R, S. 0., 

 Roxburghshire), N.B. It is very short, but still of a good deal of 

 interest, from its observation of the great amount of damage done by 

 the grubs to the dry parts of hill pastures ; and also the benefit 

 formerly received from crows {anglice, rooks) in keeping down the 

 insect pest, which birds, however, were then being destroyed to a 

 hurtful extent. Mr, Scott observed : — 



"I take the liberty of enclosing to you in a box a sample of the 

 caterpillar which is doing great damage to the dry parts of hill pasture 

 on some farms in Liddesdale ; it leaves the part quite bare. . . . 

 The crows used to devour it greedily, but some parties in this district 



Tipula by some minute differences in the form of the head, of the first article of 

 the antennae, and of the second posterior cell of the wings, for which see descrip- 

 tions by Meigen, Macquart, Schiner, &c. But for ordinary working purposes the 

 flies are sufficiently distinguishable by their shining bright yellow colour and black 

 spots. 



