OTHER INSECTS. 169 



tknps, as it is called, that Mr. Kirby de- 

 scribed many years ago ; but it ought to be- 

 come the subject of fresh observations. This 

 venerable naturalist took the orange powder 

 in the ears for the excrement of the thrips. 

 It was probably the uredo rubigo which he 

 saw. The author found quantities of the 

 thrips last autumn, (1845.) He has also found 

 a great many this year, (1846.) The larvae 

 likewise of a fly called chlorops has this year 

 attacked barley. In some instances the orange 

 powder in the wheat appeared, and some not. 

 Where it did appear, it was the uredo fungus 

 just mentioned. 



To say that wheat is subject to the presence 

 of aphidesy or plant-lice, is only to state in 

 the case of wheat what may be affirmed of 

 almost every known produce of our soils. 

 The same may be likewise said of several 

 other minute creatures that are found in the 

 fields. In our granaries, besides weevil, the 

 larvse of a species of tinea make great havoc. 

 Thousands of acari will be found in bran kept 

 for any length of time. All these minute 

 creatures, like the weeds, the thorns, and the 

 briers, have been permitted to spring up ; and 

 in this our fallen condition we must count 

 p 3 



