affecting the Potato-crops. 



80 



exclamationis, which makes such havoc amongst the turnips, as 

 formerly stated in this Journal.* 



Tipul^ or Crane-flies. 



Any one may readily imagine what an amount of vegetation 

 must be consumed by the maggots or larvae of these gnats, seeing 

 that during the summer and autumn it is not possible to step on 

 a field or meadow without disturbing a family of the winged 

 parents. Indeed, turnips, potatoes, beet, carrots, and cabbages 

 often suffer as severely from the attacks of Surface Caterpillars, 

 the larvae of Crane-flies, and the Wire-worms, as from any other 

 insects. 



From the beaked head and attitude of the body and legs in 

 flight, the Tipulas have been termed Crane-flies, but in some 

 counties they are better known by the name of Daddy or Old 

 Father Long-legs. As it is mostly in undisturbed ground that the 

 larvae are propagated to any extent, it is most desirable to keep 

 land clean. Of course weedy banks and hedge-rows will na- 

 turally be a harbour for them, as they delight to live amongst 

 the roots under tufts of grass, but their head- quarters are damp 

 meadows and marshes. Wet, consequently, encourages them, and 

 to drown them is impossible, therefore the opposite course, of 

 draining land effectually, would no doubt annoy them more than 

 any other process, and go far towards freeing arable lands, at least, 

 from these universal pests. 



The eggs are laid by the females, I apprehend, as they fly, 

 or when they rest amongst the herbage, and are propelled as 

 from a pop-gun. Those of Tipula Oleracea are little oval conical 

 grains, shining and as black as ebony ; they form a mass occupy- 

 ing nearly the whole abdomen, and I have taken 300 or more 

 from the body of one female (pi. V. fig. 35, n an egg magnified). 

 The little maggots hatched from these grow until they are as 

 thick as a small goose-quill, cylindrical, and about an inch long 

 (fig. 36) ; they are then of an earthy colour and incased in such 

 tough skins that they are called " Leather-jackets." The intes- 

 tines shining through the back create 2 pale wavy lines, in which 

 a pulse is very evident. When walking or wriggling along, for 

 they have no feet, they protrude their little black horny heads, 

 stretching out the neck, which then tapers, and exposing 2 minute 

 rust-coloured horns and 2 strong black jaws; when in motion 

 their tails are thickest and cut off abruptly, the edges above being 

 furnished with 4 fleshy tubercles more or less pointed, with 2 

 below, and near the centre are 2 spiracles or breathing-pores 

 (fig. o, the stern); they are composed of 13 rings, and when 



* Vol. iv. p. 106, pi. G, figs. 6 and 7. 



