116 LARV^ IN CHAFF DUST. 



diameters. Magnified still farther to the ex- 

 tent of twenty times, the dorsal and ventral 

 appearances were as here drawn by Mr. 

 Leonard, to whom specimens were entrusted 

 for that purpose. These larvse have been 

 thought by some persons to feed on the pollen, 

 while others think they live on the juices of 

 the ovary. They unquestionably destroy in 

 some way the power of fructification ; for, after 

 their operations have commenced, it is certain 

 that the germen never swells, and complete 

 sterility results. These little maggots, as has 

 been mentioned, are very easily found upon 

 searching in an ear of wheat that has been fre- 

 quented by the midges. When the corn is 

 threshed they may be discovered in the chaff 

 dust, and look as if they had entered into the 

 chrysalis state. At first sight, those figured 

 here gave this appearance, but they proved to 

 be larvae covered with a singular kind of mem- 

 brane. Whoever takes the fine dust on the 

 bam floor in his hand, may easily pick them 

 out, and will perceive them to be exactly of 

 the size given in the figures. A good preparer 

 of objects for the microscope would put some 

 up in Canada balsam, when they might be 

 easily examined. Naturalists who have given 



