Miscellaneous. 1538 
placed on the surface of moist soil in a flower-pot, in which a carna- 
tion was growing. In the course of two days they had, with the 
exception of a few which were crushed or otherwise injured, descended 
into the ground, leaving their delicate membranous cases on the sur- 
face. Their power of burrowing having been thus ascertained, they 
were allowed to remain undisturbed during winter, the spot where 
they had disappeared being covered with a glass shade. During 
winter the flower-pot was watered as the growth of the carnation re- 
quired. 
A similar experiment having been tried in another pot, the insects 
were sought for in the ground after their disappearance. Very few 
were found, and these had still the larva form. They were however 
most flexible, and showed some degree of activity. On being placed 
on the surface they endeavoured to burrow, by means of a worm-like 
motion, and in doing so they seemed to have the power of fixing the 
anterior part of the body pretty firmly to the soil. They were found 
to have penetrated to the depth of about an inch. It thus appeared 
that the stiffness and torpidity of the larvee in the ripe grain are but 
temporary, and that when they fall from their place within the chaff 
scales, upon the moist ground, and cast their skins, they acquire the 
activity and strength necessary for penetrating into the soil, while 
still in the larva form. 
The insects were not again seen until the last week of June, when 
they began to appear in the imago state, and as early as the 10th of 
July the whole had emerged. At that date there was no wheat in 
blossom in this vicinity, but the development of the insects had pro- 
bably been hastened by the warmth and shelter of the house. The 
emergence of the midges appeared to take place in the evening, but 
was not actually observed. After they had taken wing, their pupa- 
cases remained projecting from the ground, and were white and 
membranous. When examined by the microscope, they showed the 
true chrysalis form, the wings and other external organs being di- 
stinctly marked on them. 
The remainder of the larvee procured in autumn having been kept 
dry in a paper box, have lost their orange colour, and appear to be 
quite dead, moisture being apparently absolutely necessary to their 
entering on the pupa stage. 
The insects obtained in the above-described manner were of both 
sexes. The females agree in their characters with the figures and 
descriptions of the European Cecidomyia Tritici*. The males, 
which I have not seen figured or described, are distinguished by their 
smaller size, differently-formed abdomen, and longer and more hairy 
antennee. 
I am not aware whether the mode of hybernation of the wheat 
midge or ‘‘ weevil’’ is generally known to farmers in the United 
States. If not, it is well worthy of attention, since, by cutting the 
wheat early, and carefully collecting the larvee contained in the chaff, 
and dust separated from the grain, a large proportion of the ensuing 
* Curtis, Journ. of Agric. Soc. England. 
