59 
shortest, and are frequently somewhat retracted within each other. 
The terminal segment of the body is bent abruptly downward 
beyond the middle and constricted before the tip. The body is soft 
and flexible, and the movements of the maggot are sluggish. 
The head, viewed from above, is broad-ovate in outline, narrow- 
ing forwards, and somewhat abruptly rounded in front. It is smooth 
and shining, about as long as the first segment, within which it is 
frequently more or less retracted. Its width is ‘about three-fourths 
its length. The entire larva is one-third of an inch in length when 
full-grown, and about one-fortieth of an inch in transverse diameter : 
and of nearly uniform size throughout, only the first two or three 
segments being slightly narrower than those succeeding them. It is 
marked with neither hairs nor punctures, and provided with no 
locomotor structures whatever. The shape and proportions of the 
different segments of the body are sufficiently shown by the cut. 
The larve of this family differ from those of most diptera, not 
only in having a well defined head, but also in having a somewhat 
complicated mouth apparatus, which consists in this larva of a 
labrum, two mandibles and two maxille, with a rudimentary struce- 
ture possibly representing the labium. The labrum (Plate LV, Figs. 
8 and 9,) is a thick, fleshy organ attached to the front of the head, 
about half as long as wide, deeply emarginate in the middle, the 
lateral lobes formed by this emareination being broadly and regu- 
larly rounded. The base of the labrum is firmly supported by a 
nearly complete black, chitinous ring. The mandibles ([ig. 7) are 
quadrate in form, entire, except the terminal extremity, which is 
divided into four obtuse lobes or teeth, the two inner of which pro- 
ject at right angles to the others. This toothed extremity of the 
mandibles is yellowish- brown, the remainder black. The maxilla 
tthe” 6) are composed of three parts, a subtriangular, basal part 
the stipes), and a larger, terminal part composed of two pieces, the 
inner of which is oval, and provided at its margin with about six or 
seven large, obtuse teeth, the proximal ones of which are largest. 
The outer part is oblong in outline, as long as the inner, and bears 
upon the under surface, near the tip, a circular, membranous area, 
from which springs a minute, inarticulate palpus. 
If further observations should chance to show that this larva may 
become injurious, it should not be difficult of destruction. Probably 
a simple burning of the grass preparatcry to breaking up the sod 
would be sufficient. 
