THE EGG OF THE HESSIAN FLY. 681 



ered by Mr. Havens, that it is unnecessary to repeat them 

 here. The observations of Mr. Worth are interesting, as 

 showing that the insect is not left without resources, although 

 there are no young wheatrplants growing in June ; the upper 

 joints of those old plants that are late in ripening being 

 found to yield sufficient nourishment for a portion, at least, 

 of the progeny of the June flies. They show, also, how 

 easily the insects might be imported from Europe in the 

 straw containing them, in the flax-seed state, about the upper 

 joints. 



The old discussion, concerning the place where the Hes- 

 sian fly lays her eggs, was revived in the year 1841, in con- 

 sequence of a communication made by Miss Margaretta H. 

 Morris, of Germantown, Pennsylvania, to " The American 

 Philosophical Societj'," of Philadelphia. The following re- 

 marks upon it are extracted fi'om a Report made to the same 

 Society, and published in their " Proceedings " for November 

 and December, 1840. " Miss Morris believes she has estab- 

 lished that the ovum (egg) of this destructive insect is 

 deposited in the seed of the wheat, and not in the stalk or 

 culm. She has watched the progress of the animal since 

 June, 1836, and has satisfied herself that she has frequently 

 seen the larva within the seed. She has also detected the 

 lai-va, at various stages of its progress, from the seed to 

 between the body of the stalk and the sheath of the leaves. 

 According to her observations, the recently hatched larva 

 penetrates to the centre of the straw, where it may be found 

 of a pale greenish-white semitransparent appearance, in form 

 somewhat resembling a silkworm. From one to six of these 

 have been found at various heights from the seed to the third 

 joint." 



Miss Morris's communication had not been published in 

 full when the first edition of this work was prepared for tlic 

 press ; but, from the foregoing Report, we are led to infer, 

 that the egg, being sowed with the grain, is hatched in the 

 ground, and that the maggot afterwards mounts from the 



