ATTEMPTS TO BREED THE MIDGE. 117 



their attention to these insects, are of opinion 

 that the chrysalis state is not reached till the 

 spring, and that the thin membranous covering 

 is a protection against cold till that condition 

 is attained. It is true that there has been one 

 instance of a fly hatched from a chrysalis in 

 September, but this was an exception. There 

 have been many attempts made to breed these 

 flies from the larvse covered with the mem- 

 brane, or the supposed chrysalides found in the 

 chaff ; but all have failed. It was tried in vain 

 by the writer ; but he thought others might 

 have obtained them by reason of more skil- 

 ful methods, till on inquiry he found they 

 were equally unsuccessful. Conjectures have, 

 as usual, been sufficiently abundant; and a 

 question has been raised, whether the larvae do 

 not enter the earth to become pupse, or chry- 

 saUdes. Certain it is that the membranous 

 cases of the larvae are found left adhering to 

 the sound grains and to the chaff-scales; and 

 professor Henslow and others assert, that some 

 larvae have been known to leave the ears and 

 bury themselves in the earth. Any entomo- 

 logist who decides the question whether these 

 larvae certainly enter the ground to turn into 

 pupae, will do great service to science in 



