3o8 Flashlights on Natire 



have had time to accustom themselves to the outer 

 air, tlie male Hies soar abroad on ^auzy winjfs to 

 seek tlieir mates ; the laches, oji the contrary, are 

 coy, not to say somewhat shij^j^ish, and oftenest 

 wait iit home on the under side ot a leaf till their 

 loPvls come to woo them. The well-bred Hessian 

 ily does not ^ad about to seek a husband. But 

 that is only while she is a maiden ; as soon as it 

 comes to layin<4 ej^^s, she wakes up at once, and 

 takes to business with the utmost energy. She 

 tlies off around the lields and looks out a fresh 

 young barley-plant, suitable for a nursery. On 

 its leaves she alights, witii her head towards the tip 

 ot the blade, and begins depositing her precious 

 burden. When once she has started, she sticks to 

 it for life, using herself up (like our old friend the 

 aphis) in tlie duties of matcrnitv, and laying as 

 many eggs as she possesses material for. Her 

 conduct, in short, would be exemplary, if she 

 wasted her life on thistles or nettles, and didn't 

 choose to display her maternal affection on the 

 British farmer's barley. So she goes on till she 

 has worn herself out, and often till she has broken 

 three or four of her legs in the pursuit of duty. 

 Then, when she grows quite exhausted, and feels 

 her latter end drawing nigh, she hides herself in 

 the ground — buries herself alive, in fact ; and there 

 awaits death with patient resignation. 



The average lifetime of the Hessian fly in the 

 adult winged stage seems to be about five days for 

 the females, and probably a good deal less for the 

 males. The bachelors in search of a wife fly some- 



