Sec. 12.] EJITOMOLOGICAL. 211 



great abundance in the M'lieat-ears, after the molting process is completed. 

 Mr. J. W. Dawson, of Pictou, Nova Scotia, says that sometimes the maggot 

 descends from the jjlants and molts on the surface of the ground. After 

 shedding the skin, it recovers its activity, and writhes about at first, but 

 takes no food. It is shorter, somewhat flattened, and more obtuse than 

 before, and is of a deeper yellow color, with an oblong greenish spot in the 

 middle of the body. Within two or three days after molting, the maggots 

 either descend of their own accord or are shaken out of the ears by the wind, 

 and fall to the ground. They do not let themselves down by threads, as 

 has been supposed by some, for they are not able to spin. Nearly all of 

 them disappear before the middle of August, and they are rarely found in 

 the grain at the time of harvest. Hon. William D. Lindsley, of Sandusky 

 City, Ohio, however, sent me several specimens of wheat with this insect in 

 it as late as the beginning of August. From observations and remarks made 

 by intelligent farmers, it appears that the descent of these insects is facilitated 

 by falling rain and lieavy dews. Having reached the ground, the maggots 

 soon burrow under the surface, sometimes to the depth of an inch, those 

 which have not molted casting tlieir skins before entering the earth. Here 

 they remain without further change through the following winter. It is not 

 usually before June that they arc transformed to pups^, this change being 

 effected without another molting of the skin. Tiiis pupa state lasts but a 

 short time, a week or two at most, and in many cases only a few days. 

 Under the most favorable circumstances, the jnipa works its way to the 

 surface, before liberating the included fly, and when the insect has taken 

 wing, the empty pupa shell, or skin, will be seen protruding from the ground. 

 In other cases, the fly issues from its pupa skin in the earth, and comes to 

 the surface with flabby wings, which soon expand and dry on exposure to 

 the air. This last change occurs mostly in the months of June and July, 

 when great numbers of the flies have been seen apparently coming from the 

 jrround in fields where grain was raised the year before. 



"The Avheat-midge, or fly, 'is a small orange-colored gnat, with long, 

 slender, pale-yellow legs, and two transparent wings reflecting the tints of 

 the rainbow, and fringed with delicate hairs. Its eyes are black and prom- 

 inent ; its face and feelers, yellow ; its antennte, long and blackish. Those 

 of the male are twice as long as the body, and consist of only twelve joints, 

 which, except at the base, an oblong-oval, somewhat narrowed in the middle, 

 are surrounded by two whorls of hairs. These insects vary much in size. 

 The largest females do not exceed one tenth of an inch in length, aiul many 

 are found toward the end of the season less than half this length. The males 

 are usually smaller tiian the females, and somewhat paler in color.' Mr. 

 Lindsley sent several of these insects to the Patent Office in August, 1S55, 

 and stated that they have been extremely destructive in several parts of his 

 district last year (1Sj4), and that in some places the cattle were turned into 

 the ficKl in order to eat tiie straw and what little was left of the grain, the 

 main crop not being worth harvesting. Tlieso flies are likewise said to be 



