STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
815 
ANGOUMOIS MOTH. LARVA DESCRIBED. 
it is supposed they eat these castings ouce or twice, as there is 
no aperture by which they can be thrust out of the cavity. 
Having consumed all the flour in the grain, and completed its 
growth, the larva spins a white silken cocoon, which lines one 
end ol the cavity within the grain, the other end being occupied 
with the castings of the worm, a partition dividing the cavity 
into two apartments. The moth makes its escape through a 
little round hole in the side of the grain, which the worm cuts 
with its jaws before it spins its cocoon, without, however, disT 
placing the stopper of this orifice. 
There are two generations of this insect annually, the moth 
coming abroad in the spring and again in the autumn. Olivier 
says: “ One thing worthy of remark is that the moths which 
hatch in the month of May from the grains shut up in the grana¬ 
ries, hasten to get out by the windows and to gain the fields, 
instead of which, those that come forth immediately after the 
harvest make no attempt to escape. It seems that their instinct 
informs them that they will then find no more provision in the 
fields for the support of their posterity.” 
As doubts are entertained by some writers, on the identity of 
our American moth with that of Europe, I here present such a 
detailed and carefully drawn description of our insect in its 
larva and its perfect state, as will enable foreign observers, I 
trust, to definitely settle this point. This description, it will be 
understood, is taken from specimens which made their appear¬ 
ance in the Agricultural Rooms at Albany, as already stated, 
this being the only instance in which this insect has fallen under 
my observation. 
I he larva, to the naked eye, appears to be a little oblong 
maggot, with a wrinkled skin, and of a white color throughout, 
except its mouth, which is blackish. It makes no effort to move 
or to crawl away, but lies commonly upon its side with its body 
bent into the shape of a crescent. When examined with the aid 
of a magnifying glass, it is found to be a soft, fleshy grub, cylim 
drical or rather broader anteriorly, and composed of thirteen 
segments. These are opako and without lustre, except the first 
segment or head, which is smooth and slightly polished. A few 
fine hairs are scattered over the surface. Beneath, three pairs 
ol legs are detected, occupying the three segments next succeed- 
