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No. 105.] 
ovipositor into contact with the germ of the future grain, through this 
tube one egg after another is passed in at short intervals until several 
are deposited. The usual number of eggs thus deposited, appeared to 
be from six to ten ; and as thrice or four times as many larva; can 
sometimes be met with on a single germ, it is probable that three or 
four insects sometimes successively puncture the same floret. Very 
frequently two, four or six flies may be seen at the same time on diffe¬ 
rent florets of the same ear, depositing their eggs; and Mr. Shirreff 
says, “ Upon one occasion I numbered thirty-five flies on a single ear, 
and, after carrying it a distance of a quarter of a mile, six of them 
still continued to deposit eggs.” This work being done, another labo¬ 
rious task for the tiny creature remains, that of withdrawing the oviposi¬ 
tor ; and to accomplish this, the energies of the insect are sometimes 
inadequate, and it remains, Prometheus-lilce, chained to an immoveable 
mountain, until it expires. This curious fact, first observed by Mr. 
Kirby, I have seen fully verified, meeting in several instances with the 
dead insect still remaining thus suspended. 
Although the flowers of the wheat are the favorite resort of this 
insect for depositing its eggs, yet it is not limited solely to this plant. 
It is currently reported to have been occasionally met with in rye 
and oats in this country. Mr. Shirreff and Mr. Gorrie both found 
the wheat-worm in ears of the quack or couch grass (Triticum re- 
pens Linn. ; Agropyron repens , Pal. de Beauvois); and the latter 
gentleman hereupon rather naively remarks, “ The fly has not known 
that modern botanists no longer ranged the couch grass among the 
wheat tribe ; but, like myself, it is most attached to the Linnman 
names and systems.” Mr. Markwick also found the same worms in 
the wild bearded oats ( Avenafestuca , Linn.) 
The eggs are of an oblong, cylindrical form, with rounded ends, 
They are pellucid and nearly colorless at first, but acquire a yellow¬ 
ish tinge ere they are hatched, which is in rather over a week after 
they are deposited. 
The larva has two distinct stages in its existence : an active or 
growing state, which is passed through in about a month ; and a 
dormant state, which then supervenes, and continues through the 
winter. This latter has been generally but incorrectly regarded as 
its pupa state by writers. 
When it comes from the egg, the larva is a minute oblong soft 
