MANGOLD-LEAF OR BEET FLY. 59 



On the 7th of July, Mr. Budd further remarked : — " This particular 

 pest has now pretty well left my Mangolds. A diligent search has 

 resulted in one small larva found alive, and several empty shells, but 

 no pupae and no perfect insects. I cannot account for their sudden 

 disappearance from my crop, unless it be that the insect has reached 

 its perfect stage and gone away. I fancy I only observed the larvae at 

 a comparatively late period of their existence, when the majority of 

 them were approaching the chrysalis stage, but yet the specimens I 

 sent you were, as you observed, by no means full grown, and the larvae 

 were at the date of my letter plentiful." — F. N. B. 



It seems to me that, if another opportunity should occur, it would 

 be well worth while to watch what may happen at this stage of life 

 among the grubs, that is to say, whether a portion of them may not 

 feed on their brethren. In regular course of things the grubs have 

 been recorded as going down into the ground when full fed, which may 

 be about the end of June, There they form cells, about three or four 

 inches beneath the surface, in which they change to the chrysalis or 

 pupal state, and from these the brownish black, rather downy beetles 

 may be expected to appear in about three weeks. 



But in the course of my observations of the Beet Carrion maggots 

 in 1888, I found, in the case of two consignments sent me, that some 

 of the grubs had apparently been feeding on the others, as there were 

 broken remains of the skin of other Silpha larvae in the box. These 

 broken pieces would correspond with Mr. Budd's description of " empty 

 shells " ; and looking at the fact of his grubs being by no means full 

 grown, therefore unlikely to go down into the ground at the time, it 

 certainly seems open to doubt whether they did not exercise their 

 normal carnivorous propensities on each other. It would at least be 

 worth while noticing, as occasion might allow, whether this is the 

 case. 



As the ordinary details of this attack and means of prevention and 

 remedy have been given in my Report already quoted, also as it is very 

 rarely of any practical importance in this country, I do not repeat them 

 again here, but just mention the attack to keep up record of what so 

 far as appears is, in this country, a rare crop infestation. 



Mangold-leaf or Beet Fly. Anthomyia [Chortojihila) betcc, Curtis. 



Mangold-leaf maggot was unusually prevalent during the past 

 season. This attack is usually reported to a moderate extent, or at 

 least as being present at a few localities ; but last year (1891), so far 

 as I can judge by reports sent to myself, it was far more prevalent 

 than in any year since the severe attack of 1880. In that year it was 



