368 INSECTS. 



The genus Chlorops is especially mischievous in its 

 larva state to grain of various kinds. One species, the 

 little Chlorops lineata (or Striped Green-eyes) is one of 

 the commonest, and is frequently to be met with in 

 houses, sometimes in large numbers. It is yellow, with 

 five black stripes on the. thorax, and a black spot on the 

 abdomen. The ravages committed by this insect and 

 its relations, both in England and in other countries, are 

 in some years of great importance, whole crops becoming 

 " gouty " under their attacks. 



In the genus Drosophila is found one insect of decided 

 anti-teetotal habits a sad set-off to the good little 

 stories of good little dogs who sit outside public-houses 

 while their masters are sitting inside. This melancholy 

 example of a beast which is no better than a man, lives 

 in its larval state in the casks containing fermented 

 liquors, feeding on the rich substances deposited there. 

 Faute de mieux, it will feed on fungi or oakapples. Others 

 of the genus are leaf-miners in chickweed, catchfly, 

 corncockle, peas and other Papilionaceas, and on some 

 of the Cruciferee. 



Nearly related to these is the little black Fly proceed- 

 ing from the hopping maggots common in cheese, with 

 another found in bacon, probably the most active of any 

 terrestrial Dipterous larva. The maggot effects its spring 

 by first standing on its tail, then, curving itself into a 

 circle and grasping its tail with its jaws, " it next con- 

 tracts its body into an oblong, so that the two halves are 

 parallel to each other ; it then lets go its hold with so 

 violent a jerk that the sound produced by its mandibles 

 may be readily heard, and the leap takes place." 



The last of the Muscidse which shall be mentioned here 

 is a little dark, shining, metallic-coloured Fly, less than 



