INJURIOUS INSECTS. 245 



cars, intently engaged in selecting the most suitable spot where to 

 deposit their eggs. This being found, the insect alights, and stand- 

 ing upon the outer glume or chaff of the kernel, curves its abdomen 

 so as to bring the tip in contact at right angles with the surface of 

 the glume. It now toils industriously to insinuate its ovipositor 

 through the scale, which is not accomplished till after a considerable 

 exertion. Sometimes even, the scale having probably acquired loo 

 much maturity and hardness to be pierced by the liny stinger which 

 the fly protrudes, it is foiled in its efforts, and, as if vexed at its ill 

 success, spitefully jerks apart its wings and darts away. This oc- 

 currence, however, is rare. And having penetrated with its ovipositor 

 ^ into contact with the germ of the future grain, through this tube 

 one egg after another is passed in at short intervals until several are 

 deposited. The usual number of eggs thus deposited, appeared to 

 be from six to ten ; and as thrice or four times as many larvae can 

 sometimes be met witli on a single germ, it is probable that three 

 or four insects sometimes successively puncture the same floret. 

 Very frequently two, four or six flies may be seen at the same time 

 on different florets of the same ear, depositing their eggs ; and Mr. 

 Shirreff says, " Upon one occasion I numbered thirty-five flies on a 

 single ear, and, after carrying it a distance of a quarter of a mile, 

 six of them still continued to deposit eggs." This work being done, 

 another laborious task for the tiny creature remains, that of with- 

 drawing the ovipositor ; and to accomplish this, the energies of the 

 insect are sometimes inadequate, and it remains, Prometheus-like, 

 chained to an immovable mountain, until it expires. This curious 

 sti* fact, first observed by Mr. Kirby, I have seen fully verified, meet- 

 ing in several instances with the dead insect still remaining thus 

 suspended. 



Although the flowers of the wheat are the favorite resort of this 



:"" insect for depositing its eggs, yet it is not limited solely to this 



plant. It is currently reported to have been occasionally met with in 



rye and oats in this country. Mr. Shirreff and Mr. Gorrie both found 



i the wheat-worm in ears of the quack or couch grass ( Triticum 



ai repens, Linn. ; Agropyr o.i repens, Pal. de Beauvois) ; and the latter 



filgentleman hereupon rather naively remarks, "The fly has not known 



Dlthat modern botanists no longer ranged the couch grass among the 



an wheat tribe ; but, like myself, it is most attached to the Linnasan 



names and system." Mr. Markwick also found the same worms in 



the wild bearded oats (Avena festuca, Linn.). 



