Annual RejMrt for 1887 of tJie Consulting EntomolojinU 291 
had a sample sent, showing that the straw was f o bruised to 
shreds to make it soft for packing material that it appeared 
hardly possible it could have flax-seeds adhering to any of it ; 
further, I have obtained information, through one of the largest 
egg importers, that the straw used for packing eggs from the 
Russian districts whence the eggs are long in transit, has to be 
artificially dried. This is done by placing it in heated rooms in 
racks, which would very effectually kill the chrysalids. 
As the watch on straw has now been going on since the 
spring of the year, and in all the straw and sweepings from 
different countries searched by many different observers (though 
quantities of things resembling "flax-seeds" at first sight 
have been sent me for identification), we have only found 
one single puparium, I think we may now discontinue the 
work. 
From last season's experience, there does not seem to be 
any reason to anticipate serious damage from Hessian fly, 
excepting what may occur, more or less, to barley. The point 
which is of the greatest importance now, as a measure of 
prevention, is the complete destruction of the "flax-seeds" 
which are found in the fine siftings and rubbish beneath the 
thrashing machines. If this is not done, each centre of neglect 
will be a centre of infestation to the neighbourhood. 
Many communications were sent to me regarding Chlorops' 
attack on barley. This occurred (speaking generally) in much 
the same districts of England that were affected by Hessian fly, 
and were often not distinguished from it. Very little about it 
was reported to me fi'om Scotland, and two of the worst attacks 
were in the south of England. In the samples of one of these, 
the ears had not freed themselves from their sheaths, and the 
plants were stunted down to only about seven to nine inches 
high ; in the other the ears in some instances were hardly 
freed, and the stem betweerk the highest knot and the ear only 
about an inch and a half or two inches long. The direct 
injury from the gnawing of this corn-fly maggot extended half 
way up the ear. 
The reports agreed in great amount of damage being done 
• — usually stated (generally) as very " serious," " considerable," 
and so on. But the only precise estimates sent were of loss of 
one-third of the crop, and of one bushel an acre. From the 
samples forwarded, I have no hesitation in considering the 
damage to have been of a most unusiial amount, which I 
believe to have been owing to the unusual heat and drought of 
the past season. 
This attack has long been known in England, and it is on 
record with localities given that in 1846 from half to two-thirds 
u 2 
