FLOUR MOTH. 47 



an inch long, and, as seen without the help of a magnifier, almost 

 white, when younger of some tint of flesh colour or pale red, and are 

 slightly sprinkled with pale hairs or fine bristles. Feet sixteen in 

 number, that is, three pairs of claw-feet (one pair on each of the three 

 segments next the head), four pairs of sucker-feet under the body, and 

 another pair beneath the tail. The markings by which this kind of 

 caterpillar may be distinguished, with the help of a hand-magnifying 

 glass, from other kinds are as follows : — Head yellowish brown, darker 

 in front, and with dark brown jaws ; a transverse patch on the segment 

 next the head, this rather pale yellowish brown, with a faint pale 

 central line dividing it from back to front, and (in the oldest specimen) 

 a small brown spot on each side of the segment below the patch. 

 Along the back, excepting towards the head and tail, were four small 

 dark dots on each segment, above, two on each side the centre. On 

 the segments near the head the spots were arranged more transversely, 

 and at the tail, immediately above the sucker-feet, was a brownish oval 

 or somewhat triangular patch (the anal plate). On the preceding 

 segment the transverse row of spots varied somewhat in different 

 specimens ; the largest was in the middle, with a smaller one on each 

 side, occasionally one below, which would make five altogether ; but 

 sometimes the lowest pair was absent, sometimes the middle large spot 

 was not entire ; coujecturally the marking differed with the age of the 

 caterpillar. On the preceding, that is, the eleventh segment, there 

 were two clearly defined brownish spots, and along each side of the 

 caterpillar was a row of dark dots, one on each segment. When full 

 grown the caterpillar changes to the chrysalis state (in the instances I 

 have seen) amongst the spun-up flour, but I am not sure whether it. is 

 always in a silken cocoon. This chrysalis showed the shape of the 

 future moth very plainly, and was peculiar both in shape and in 

 colouring. It was the colour of bees-Avax below, shading to reddish 

 brown on the back, and reddish brown also at the end of the somewhat 

 prolonged slightly curved tail, which ended bluntly or cylindrically ; 

 the eyes were of a darker shade of red. 



In the Canadian observations it is noted that " When not hidden 

 in a package or deposit of flour, the larva has a habit of retiring to 

 some crevice before passing the chrysalis stage ; consequently they are 

 to be found in innumerable places quite impossible to be reached by 

 any brushing-down process." 



I have not myself ascertained how long the chrysalis state lasts. 

 Prof. Zeller notes that the moth comes out in about three weeks. 



From the various dates at which moths and caterpillars have been 

 observable, this pest appears an all-the-year-round infliction. 



The mischief is caused by the caterpillars dispersing themselves 

 over every part of a mill, or its machinery, where the Wheat flour can 



