48 CORN AND GRASS. 



been also very destructive in his large kitchen garden, especially to 

 Peas and Strawberry plants. 



From Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, on June 15th, in bad 

 attack on Barley ; the stems were eaten through about an inch below 

 the surface of the ground ; as many as five or six grubs were to be 

 found in a foot space ; and about half the field was eaten as completely 

 bare as it was before the Barley was put in. 



From near Eathnew, Co. Wicklow, Ireland, on June 16th and 20th, 

 notes were sent of such bad infestation (and consequent injury) in 

 some Oats, that on stirring the surface, " any amount of the worms" 

 might be found. In this case, on special examination, the grubs were 

 found from 4 to 6 inches below the surface. 



The fly (figured at p. 46) is too well known to need description. 



The grub may be familiarly described as in shape not at all unlike 

 a short length of slate pencil, which has been rounded by use to a 

 blunt point at one end, and at the other is still cut or broken fairly 

 straight across. More precisely described, they are cylindrical, legless, 

 about an inch, to an inch and a half in length, when full-grown ; 

 wrinkled across, and with four tubercles above, and two below at the 

 truncate end of the tail. They have little black horny heads, furnished 

 with a pair of jaws. The colour varies much according to the land in 

 which they feed, but may usually be some shade of brown or grey, and 

 they may be found at work below the surface of the ground all through 

 the warm part of the year ; and according to weather as late in the 

 year as December, or as early as February. 



The grubs change to chrysalis state under some protection, as earth 

 or weeds, and when the time is near for emergence of the fly, they may 

 be found (as figured) set upright, about half out of the ground. 



The great time for the appearance of flies, and also for egg-laying, 

 is towards autumn. The eggs are small, black, and shiny, almost like 

 grains of gunpowder, and very numerous ; one female may lay as many 

 as three hundred. They are deposited on, or in the ground, or on, or 

 under damp Grass and leafage on the surface of the ground. 



The favourite resorts of the flies are damp or neglected Grass, 

 marshy ground. Clover leas, meadows, and like localities, and conse- 

 quently it is to crops put in, after breaking up Grass and Clover, that 

 the grubs (which have remained alive in the soil) are the most 

 destructive. There would have been as many grubs at work if the 

 meadow or Clover had not been broken up, but there would have been 

 a much larger supply of plants for them to feed on, and the important 

 destruction would, in most cases, have been much less. 



There are several kinds of Tipula flies, but the T. oleracea, com- 

 monly known as the "Daddy Longlegs," and the T. maculosa, or 



