14 



CORN AND GRASS. 



growth by currents of cold air through the heaps of corn, — are detailed 

 at length by various writers, and can be referred to if needed. 



But beyond the well-lmown damage to stored corn, there is what 

 may be happening to ripe corn in the fields, which hitherto has not 

 been investigated as much as might be desirable. Dr. Taschenberg 

 notes of this species, that all kinds of corn are similarly acceptable to 

 it, and that it will on occasion attack other material, as dry fruits or 

 woody fangi. And again, in another passage he notes, after observa- 

 tions on the habits of this T. (jmnella in corn stores, that outside, in 

 the open air (or rather in free circumstances), the eggs are in other 

 conditions ; they may be laid in the previously mentioned fungi ; like- 

 wise in grass -seeds, which are always present. It is also noted by 

 Curtis, in * Farm Insects,' and by Hammerschmidt in Kollar's 

 'Insects,' that this species of moth deposits its eggs on corn in the 

 field, or in corn in sheaves in the field.* 



For lessening danger of this occurring, the obvious plan is suggested 

 of not letting the ripe corn stand uncut longer than is necessary, and 

 also similarly treating the sheaves. It would be of interest to find 

 whether in the coming season, with attention drawn to the subject, it 

 will be observed that damage, in the form of hollowing out contents of 

 ripe corn-grains in the field, occurs to an important extent. 



" Hay-stack Moth." Pyralis glaucinalis, Linn. 



Pyralis glaucinalis. — Stack Moth, nat. size and magnified ; cluster of clirysalis 

 cocoons, giving side and edge view ; cocoon opened, sliowing chrysalis within, 

 magnified. 



* Information on this attack will be found in the old standard authorities of 

 Curtis' ' Farm Insects ' and Kollar's ' Injurious Insects,' revised by Prof. Westwood ; 

 and more recently in the ' Praktische Insekten Kunde ' of Dr. E. L. Taschenberg 

 also (bringing the subject up to the recent date of 1891) in the ' Tierische Schad- 

 linge und Nutzlinge ' of Dr, J. Eitzenaa Bos, 



