Report of the Consulting Entomologist for 1885. 313 
were commonly of such a full deep brown, that the corre- 
spondents described them in the mass on the ear as black, and 
the ears as if attacked by smut. This attack affected oats as 
well as wheat much more than usual, and corresponded much 
more with the brown variety of the Aphis avence, as given in 
Curtis's Farm Insects than with any other description I am 
acquainted with. The blackish aphis on mangolds was 
forwarded for examination under the impression that it was a 
spread of bean aphis or collier on to yet another crop, but I can 
say with certainty that the specimens sent were not of that kind. 
A very variable kind much resembling the collier, known scien- 
tifically as Aphis papaveris, infests mangolds, and another, the 
Aphis atriplicis, infests orache and plants allied to mangolds. 
From want of specimens I cannot say with certainty how far the 
Mangold attack generally was produced by these two kinds, but 
assuredly as far as what was sent went, there was no " collier." 
Towards the end of the autumn, the enormous proportion of 
aphides which had been destroyed by parasitic flies on some of 
the turnip leaves sent to me was very remarkable, more than 
three-quarters having thus been killed. This is satisfactory 
in having got rid of a great quantity which might have caused 
further trouble presently. 
Two kinds of red maggot were forwarded together from 
threshings of " Essex Wonder " wheat. The common kind 
(taken from this wheat) was in greater numbers than I have 
ever before seen it, though Golden Drop wheat near it was com- 
paratively free. The species sent accompanying it was much 
larger and of more solid make, and of a vermilion or pale red- 
lead colour, corresponding with the description of the barley 
midge maggot (Tipula cerealis of Sauter). This feeds on the 
leaves or stems of different kinds of cereals, and goes down into 
the ground to pass through its changes. It sometimes does much 
mischief by causing a distorted growth of the straw, and the 
best method of preventing repetition of the attack is to skim the 
surface of the infested field as soon as possible after cutting the 
corn, and drag the stubble into heaps and burn it. Thus, the 
maggots which remain, as I have seen on Rivett wheat, will be 
destroyed, as well as those that have turned to pupap, and such 
as are thrown to the surface will be pretty well cleared by the 
insect-eating birds which frequent corn-fields in the autumn, 
unless these are driven away by the universal bird-pest, the 
sparrow. 
The communications of the year have shown still more 
plainly than before the loss that this bird is causing. A large 
body of evidence has been brought before the public in the 
