268 [Senate 
by the plow. It is sometimes found in shady places, particularly along 
the margin of streams, associated with other minute species of Tipu- 
lida in those dances in which swarms of these insects so often engage. 
One specimen was met with on weeds, in the margin of an entensive 
and dense forest, through which it must have made its way, or over 
an adjoining lake a half mile broad, on the opposite side of which was 
the nearest cultivated ground. 
The fly during the sunshine of day moves about but little, remaining 
mostly at rest or lurking about in the shade furnished towards the 
roots of the growing grain. In the twilight of evening it becomes 
active and continues so perhaps during the entire night; for before the 
morning sunrise it may be seen abundantly upon the wing, though less 
agile than in the evening, as though it had now become somewhat 
wearied or was rendered sluggish by the coolness and dampness of the 
night air. Upon cloudy days, also, it resorts but little to its usual 
retreats. In short, it appears to be only the direct rays of the sun which 
it avoids, for if a tree be standing in an infected wheatfield, the fly may 
be met with in its shade, on the wing and depositing its eggs at mid¬ 
day. Hence those parts of a field shaded by trees or an adjoining 
wood, have been repeatedly observed to be severely devastated or even 
entirely destroyed, when the other parts of the same field have been but 
moderately injured. 
But it is during the evenings which succeed hot days of sunshine 
that the fly appears to be most busy and full of life. If a field infested 
with them be visited with a lantern at this time, such hosts as were 
little imagined to exist, will be found busily hovering about the grain, 
the most of them with wings and legs extended, dancing, as it were, 
slowly up and down along the ears, intently engaged in selecting the 
most suitable spot where to deposit their eggs. This being found, the 
insect alights, and standing upon the outer glume or chaff of the ker¬ 
nel, curves its abdomen so as to bring the tip in contact at right angles 
with the surface of the glume. It now toils industriously to insinuate 
its ovipositor through the scale, which is not accomplished till after a 
considerable exertion. Sometimes even, the scales having probably 
acquired too much maturity and hardness to be pierced by the tiny 
stinger which the fly protrudes, it is foiled in its efforts, and, as if 
vexed at its ill success, spitefully jerks its wings apart and darts away. 
This occurrence, however, is rare. And having penetrated with its 
