REPORT OP THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 195 



The leg slieaths reacli nearly to the end of the abdomen, the wing-pads 

 to the 4th abdominal segment, and the antennal sheaths to the Ist ab- 

 dominal segment. From each side of the mesothorax, just anterior and 

 ventral to the insertion of the wings, projects a rather long excarved 

 horn. After the iiy has emerged, if the pupal skin be examined, the 

 antennal sheaths will be found curved out like the handles to an urn, 

 giving it a peculiar appearance. The duration of the pupa state of the 

 early brood is about ten days. 



The adult inseot; variations'. — The midges vary to a greater or less 

 extent in size, color, and markings. Some are much smaller, and paler 

 in color than others. The males, in which the variation is most notice- 

 able, have a double row of transverse dark spots on the dorsum of the 

 abdomen. These spots are in some individuals almost entirely absent, 

 and in others they vary much in size and distinctness. On the ventral 

 side of the abdomen there is also a central row of irregularly shaped 

 dark spots, in which there is also much variation. 



Number of broods. — There are certainly two and possibly three broods 

 in a season in New York. Mr. Liutner states that the flies begin making 

 their appearance the latter part of May. From earth from a clover field 

 in Geneva, N. Y., the flies issued from the 3d to the 27th of June. He 

 also records larvae in Vermont on July 1, and" in Albany on July 5. 

 Clover full of larvae was received from Otsego and Schoharie Counties, 

 New York, on July 2. July 18 and August 12 clover heads full of 

 larvae were received from Yates County. The first flies from the speci- 

 mens from Otsego and Schoharie Counties issued August 26; and 

 September 10 the "flies from the Yates Comity larvae commenced to issue. 

 In Washington three broods in a season seenis to be the rule. The full- 

 grown larvae of the first brood were found going into the ground in 

 great numbers on the 23d of May. The first flies issued on J une 7, and 

 early in September they were again issuing in large numbers. 



Bemedies. — No remedies have been proposed except that Professor 

 EUey says: "If the injuries of this insect should become serious, the 

 clover-seed raiser will be obliged to abandon for a series of years the 

 growth of this crop, as in no other way are we likely to be able to affect 

 the multiplication of the enemy," We hardly think, however, that the 

 case wiU prove as desperate as this. In New Y^ork State it is the cus- 

 tom to cut clover twice in the season; once from June 20 to July 10, 

 when the clover is in full bloom, for hay alone, and again in the latter 

 part of September, or from that time till the 1st of November, depend- 

 ing upon the time of cutting the first crop, for seed. Now, as we have 

 shown under the head of number of broods, the great majority of the 

 first brood of maggots attain their full growth about the latter i^art of 

 June, and leave the heads to go into the ground to transform. From 

 this fact we readily draw the conclusion that were the first crop of clover 

 cut in early June the bulk of the first brood would be destroyed, and at 

 the expense of a slight reduction in his crop of hay the fjirmer would 

 enormously increase the prosi^ects of his crop of seed. The more uni- 

 versally this is practiced, the iDetter of course will be the results to each, 

 and care should be taken to cut at the same time any clover that may 

 be growing wild in fence corners, by road sides, or elsewhere. The time 

 for cutting in order to destroy the most larvae will, of course, vary with 

 ilw locality and also witli the character of the season, whether cold or 

 warm ; hence the iu)])ortance of the farmer making himself perfectly 

 familiar with the midge in all its forms, with its manner of work, and 

 of keeping a sharp lookout during late spring for the first larvae. If 

 this remedy is thoroughly tried we feel sure it will be the mea) is of re- 

 ducing the numbers of the midges. 



