﻿the 
  Hessian 
  Fly. 
  365 
  

  

  practical 
  applications 
  of 
  the 
  subject, 
  which 
  a 
  non- 
  

   agriculturist 
  may 
  well 
  be 
  excused 
  for 
  not 
  knowing, 
  &c." 
  ; 
  

   and 
  in 
  a 
  subsequent 
  letter, 
  in 
  reply 
  to 
  mine, 
  the 
  following 
  

   most 
  extraordinary 
  paragraph 
  appeared, 
  viz., 
  " 
  It 
  does 
  

   not 
  therefore 
  follow 
  that 
  we 
  are 
  sure 
  of 
  their 
  (the 
  para- 
  

   sites') 
  services 
  ; 
  male 
  and 
  female 
  have 
  to 
  meet, 
  eggs 
  be 
  

   fertilised, 
  and 
  the 
  female 
  must 
  find 
  her 
  way 
  to 
  the 
  

   infested 
  fields 
  and 
  stalks 
  before 
  the 
  egg 
  can 
  be 
  laid" 
  ! 
  

  

  I 
  must 
  confess 
  that 
  I 
  had 
  never 
  read 
  anything 
  con- 
  

   nected 
  with 
  Economic 
  Entomology 
  which 
  amused 
  me 
  so 
  

   much 
  as 
  the 
  remark 
  that 
  male 
  insects 
  have 
  any 
  difficulty 
  

   in 
  finding 
  the 
  females, 
  and 
  vice 
  versa. 
  Why 
  ? 
  Was 
  it 
  

   not 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  first 
  commands 
  given 
  to 
  animals, 
  "to 
  

   be 
  fruitful 
  and 
  multiply"? 
  and 
  have 
  we 
  ever 
  heard 
  of 
  

   female 
  flies 
  experiencing 
  any 
  difficulty 
  in 
  finding 
  out 
  the 
  

   right 
  place 
  to 
  deposit 
  their 
  eggs 
  ? 
  Are 
  they 
  idle 
  and 
  feel 
  

   "it 
  can't 
  be 
  done," 
  or 
  do 
  they 
  ever 
  forget 
  to 
  use 
  their 
  

   powers 
  of 
  flight 
  and 
  that 
  most 
  marvellous 
  sense, 
  whether 
  

   of 
  smell 
  or 
  touch, 
  which 
  enables 
  them 
  to 
  know 
  in 
  an 
  

   infinitesimally 
  short 
  time 
  in 
  what 
  direction 
  the 
  food 
  

   lies 
  upon 
  which 
  their 
  progeny 
  must 
  feed 
  ? 
  

  

  If 
  they 
  were 
  under 
  the 
  guidance 
  of 
  a 
  Committee, 
  no 
  

   doubt 
  they 
  would 
  experience 
  the 
  greatest 
  difficulty 
  in 
  

   these 
  matters 
  ; 
  but 
  being 
  the 
  work 
  of 
  the 
  Creator, 
  they 
  

   are 
  endowed 
  with 
  such 
  powers 
  that 
  they 
  do 
  everything 
  

   in 
  accordance 
  with 
  His 
  purpose 
  ; 
  and 
  whatever 
  purpose 
  

   or 
  duty 
  they 
  have 
  to 
  perform, 
  their 
  whole 
  life 
  and 
  energy 
  

   seems 
  taken 
  up 
  in 
  carrying 
  out 
  that 
  purpose. 
  What 
  a 
  

   lesson 
  is 
  here 
  set 
  forth 
  for 
  us 
  to 
  go 
  and 
  do 
  likewise 
  ! 
  

  

  For 
  Explanation 
  of 
  Plate 
  XVI. 
  see 
  next 
  page. 
  

  

  