78 
On the Tussac Grass. 
it was weak until I had it well supplied with liquid manure, which it 
appears to relish, from the great progress it has made within the last 
four weeks. The leaves are now fully a foot long, and nearly half an 
inch broad. The indigenous grass to which the Tussac grass bears the 
greatest resemblance is the cock's-foot (Dactylis glomerata), both in 
the foliage and manner of growing in tufts. I allude to the young 
plants as they now appear, which of course will alter very considerably 
as they advance towards perfection. D. Moore. 
JRoyal Dublin Society's Botanic Garden, Glasnevin. 
V. — Observations on the Natural History and Economy of various 
Insects affecting the Corn-crops in the Field and Granary, 
including Moths, Weevils and other Beetles, S^x. By John 
Curtis, F.L.S., Corresponding Member of the Imperial and 
Royal Georgofill Society of Florence ; of the Academy of 
Natural Sciences of Philadelphia ; &c. 
Paper XI. 
Before I take up the history of the insects that infest housed 
corn, it will be necessary to record a few species that attack the 
standing crops, which have not at present been noticed^ and this I 
will do as briefly as possible. 
ScopuLA frumentalis and P. Secalis — The Corn Pyralides. 
The first moth is a native of Sweden and other parts of 
Europe, where it inhabits wheat-fields in June. It was named 
1. Pyralis frumentalis by Linnajus, but it is now incorporated 
with a section of that group, called Scapula. It expands about an 
inch : the palpi are minute, the horns very slender, the eyes 
prominent; the thorax is moderately stout, as well as the abdo- 
men ; " the superior wings are shining, pale ashy green above, 
with two or three oblique whitish bands, with linked oval spots ; 
the posterior margin is ciliated with alternate white lines ; under 
side of wings greyish green." * 
Linnaeus and Rolandi f also describe an allied species called 
2. Pyralis Secalis, which lives in the caterpillar state in the 
stems of rye, eating within the sheath, and migrating from one to 
another, rendering the ears white and empty. This moth, which 
I have captured the end of May and the end of June in the 
south of France, has grey -brown striate wings, with a kidney- 
shaped spot inscribed with a Roman A. % Dr. Turton says the 
♦ Linnseus's Faun. Suec, No. 1351. t Act. Stock, for 1752, p. 62. 
% Linnaeus's Syst. Nat., vol. ii. p. 882, No. 338. 
