FPaT FLY. 53 



points whicli I see with the description of the 'Frit Fly ' {Oscinis frit], 

 and I have also found the very peculiar chrysalis. The flies are very 

 small, less than the eighth of au inch in length, but are observable 

 from their habit of dancing or skipping about, as if taking short jumps. 

 They are of a very shiny black, lighter beneath the abdomen, and the 

 head has a very shiny black patch on the crown, the feet are more or 

 less yellowish or brownish, the two wings are whitish, the club-shaped 

 ' poisers ' (placed behind the wings) yellow whilst the insect is still 

 alive. The chestnut-brown chrysalis is (like the fly) very minute, 

 cylindrical in shape, diminishing to the two extremities ; at the tail 

 end it is furnished with two spir:icles, projecting so much as to give 

 the appearance of the tail being cleft. Just behind the head are a 

 pair of stalked and branched spiracles, and at this extremity there are 

 some spots of somewhat starlike markings formed of minute dark lines 

 radiating from centres. We are rarely (so far ns we know) troubled by 

 this attack in its summer form in our Oat heads or Barley ears, but it 

 is, as I mentioned in my previous letter, sometimes exceedingly 

 injurious on the Continent of Europe. In 1888 the infestation did 

 great harm here in the young Oat plants, at localities mainly in Corn- 

 wall and N. and S. Devon, of which I gave a detailed account in my 12tli 

 Annual Keport. This was by the small maggot feeding (in the same 

 manner as the Wheat-bulb Maggot) in the centre of the young growing 

 plant, but I have heard little of the infestation before or since. So 

 much of the Oat crop being sown either in spring or late winter is a 

 great safety against this attack, as where this date of sowing occurs, 

 the young plant is safe from attack of the flies which are about in the 

 autumn. With regard to spring sown Oats, the earlier these can be 

 put in the more likely they will be either to escape attack from flies 

 (developing from chrysalids in whicli they have passed the winter), or 

 (in case the plants are attacked) their more established growth will 

 help them to bear it better. But thougli well to be on the watch, this 

 is not an infestation which appears likely to be of frequent occurrence 

 here."— (E. A. 0.)- 



On examining the Oat specimens from Bookham again on the 14th 

 of November whilst preparing this paper, I found a good many more 

 of the little black flies had developed, and were lying dead amongst 

 the dried Oat heads. 



On the 6th of June the following communication as to damage by 

 " Frit " maggots was sent me by Mr. D. D. Gibb, from the Ossemsley 

 Manor Farm, Lymington, Hants, but excepting this, which will be 

 seen to mention great amount of infestation, I received very little 

 communication as to presence of this attack. 



* See ' The London Corn Circular,' Aug. 29th, 1892, p. 1. 



