REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 575 



long, including the upper joint, but excluding the head, and placed them in a breed- 

 ing jar. The result was, when the adult Meromyza emerged from these sections, 

 July 18 to 33, there appeared among them quite a number of a much smaller black 

 species, closely resembhng those of the genus Oscinis, but, however, being quite 

 distinct. 



Early in the following September larvae, seemingly like those observed in the 

 straw, were found feeding within the stems of young volunteer wheat plants, and 

 later the same tiling was observed to destroy young plants in a field of early sown 

 wheat. 



From this volunteer wheat adult flies of the species now under consideration 

 emerged from September 7 to October 1. The present season they began to emerge 

 August 30, in both cases bemg the most numerous about the 10th of September. We 

 have also reared adults fi'om larvae in wheat sown during the last week of August, 

 these emerging as late as the 3d of October. The adults are common in wheat fields 

 after about September 10 until the 1st of October, and hover about the young plants, 

 doubtless for the puriwse of ovipositing, as they are often observed pairing. 



We have never observed them during late fall or early sprmg. They are some- 

 times attacked by a fungous parasite very similar to, if not identical with, that at- 

 tacking the house-fly. 



The larvae are much smaller than those of Meromyza, but in a general way resem- 

 ble them in form and color, particularly when the latter are only partly grown. 



The puparia are, however, very different, being only about 2.5'"'" long and O-S"""" 

 broad. The color is never like that of 3Iero7nyza, being at first of a yelloudsh- white, 

 with tinge of green, but later changing to a miiform brown. They are readily dis- 

 tinguished from those of the Hessian fly by being cylindi'ical and by the segments 

 being well defined. 



From the foregoing it vrill be observed that, so far as we have been able to study 

 the species, its cycle is exactly parallel with that of the Meromyza, and besides, there 

 is a strong probability that while in young wheat the larvfe work independently, in 

 the full-grown straws, where the tissue is too tough for their less rugged mouth 

 parts, they become the mess-mates of theh stronger consort, and feed from the vege- 

 table juices by which it is surrounded. It is this characteristic that suggested the 

 common appellation selected. 



The damage done to young wheat in the fall by this species must be considerable, 

 the credit thereof falling upon the Meromyza, as the effect of the two larvse is ex- 

 actly the same. 



INSECTS AFFECTING BARLEY. 



On account of the limited area sown, we have had but little opportunity to study 

 the insect enemies of this cereal, but it is extremely probable that the species do not 

 differ greatly from those depredating upon the closely allied grains — wheat and rye. 



The two species here mentioned were observed in a small plot of this grain on the 

 University experiment farm, which had produced nothing but barley for the last five 

 or six years. 



THE WHITE GRUB. 



(Lachnosterna fusca Frohl.) 



These well-knoAvn depredators were observed during the present season engaged 

 in cutting off the roots of the full-grown and fully-headed gi-ain. As late as the 

 28th of June they were causing whole stools of the straw to wither and dry up be- 

 fore the kernels had filled. 



THE BARLEY ROOT-LOUSE, 



(Schizoneura sp.) 



Both winged and apterous individuals were found clustering on the roots of bar- 

 ley m this same plot on the 12th of June, 188"), and at that time seemed to be doing 

 considerable injury, but we were unable to secure an above-ground form. 



The present season we found the same species in tlie same place but several days 

 earlier* and watched them continuously until the loth of Julv, when a few individ- 

 uals might still be found upon the roots, although the gxain was fully matured. 

 Again we failed to secure an aereal form, although the grain was kept under careful 

 inspection until liarvest, nor could we rear anv such ui a breeding-cage, to which we 

 had transferred mfested barley plants. 



In the fields the hce were all attended by ants, as usual, and. when placed in the 

 breeding-cage without then- protectors, seemed to be well-nigh helpless. 



