1889.] SEVERAL INSECT INFESTATIONS 197 



practical bearing, and it has grown me many a grey hair, 1 to 

 endeavour to " keep the bridge." The " flax-seeds " are now 

 being found near Errol in Scotland in the light grain or 

 " shag," or " chog," as it is called, which is thrown down by 

 a separate apparatus from the machine. Meantime I am 

 trying to get a kind of cordon established for watch on the 

 straw at such of our importing ports as 1 have influence 

 near. We give the working men, through whose hands the 

 straw daily passes, full instructions what they are to look 

 for, where, and how, likewise a small gratuity, and a 

 promise of a handsome bonus to the first who finds and 

 produces specimens of infested imported straw. The 

 working men can help enormously if they are kindly and 

 properly dealt with, and I did not think sending an inspector 

 would do much good. Hessian fly puparia would not have 

 been " at home " on the day of his visit ! Could you tell me 

 whether straw is usually cut above the point of attachment 

 of the puparia in Canada ? This would make an enormous 

 difference as to danger of infection. 



Dr. Lindeman, Moscow, has given me a list of the 

 Governments over which C. destructor has spread in Russia 

 since its first appearance in 1879, and with his permission 

 I am publishing it in my tenth Report (p. 104). Would 

 you care to have a packet of copies sent over ? Of course I 

 shall send copies immediately on publication for your and 

 Professor Saunders's kind acceptance, and to a few other of 

 my Canadian friends ; but if you will give me leave I should 

 have real gratification in having a packet forwarded, and 

 also begging acceptance of electros of any of my own 

 figures which you thought might be acceptable to your 

 Entomological Society. 



TORRINGTON HOUSE, ST. ALBANS, ENGLAND, 



April 22, 1889. 



It was indeed a pleasure to me to see your hand- 

 writing again, and very soon after I received your Report 

 which you have so kindly sent me. I have turned over the 

 pages to see the general contents, and first of all I am 

 exceedingly interested in your " Silver top " attack corre- 

 sponding with our " white eared" wheat. They these 

 peculiar ears appeared in Southern Russia, Dr. Lindeman 

 tells me, two years ago, and he could not discover any 

 insect traces any more than I could. It seems to me quite 

 unaccountable, if it really is caused by Thrips, that they 



1 This was a purely metaphorical expression (ED.). 



