20O THRIPS. 



young flowers to decay; thus preventing the 

 growth of the embryo grain. This opinion how- 

 ever has by some been considered as erroneous, 

 who have contended that the Thrips does not 

 attach itself to such of the Cerealia as are in a 

 perfectly healthy state, but rather to such as are 

 diseased by having the germina covered with the 

 dust of a very minute fungus, often growing on 

 wheat, &c. and belonging to the genus ^Ecidium 

 or Lycoperdon, and which makes its appearance 

 in the form of a flattish, smooth, irregular exsu- 

 dation of a yellow colour on various parts of the 

 plant*. The ingenious Mr. Kirby however seems 

 convinced that the Thrips is in reality an insect 

 highly injurious to corn, by deriving its nourish- 

 ment from the embryo grains. 



* See much on this subject in the Transactions of the Linnaean 

 Society, vols, 3, 4, and 5. 



