STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
491 
ONION-FLT• LAnVA AND PUPA DESCRIBED. 
The larva is represented 
in the two middle figures 
of the accompanying cut, 
the upper cut being its 
natural size and the lower 
one magnified. It is shin- Fig. 4. Onion-fly eggs, lamo and pupa>. 
ing, dull white, cylindrical, tapering to a point at its forward end, 
and when crawling and elongated nearly the whole length of the 
body becomes tapering. At the forward end the jaws appear 
under the skin as a short black stripe. Frequently a pale brown 
stripe or cloud is perceptible behind the middle of the body, 
caused by internal alimentary substances. The hind end is cut oil 
abruptly in an oblique direction, forming a flattened surface, 
on which, slightly above the centre, are two elevated dots of 
a cinnamon-brown color and appearing somewhat like a pair of 
eyes; and around the margin are eight small projecting teeth, 
of which the two lowest ones are largest; and a little forward of 
these, on the underside of the body are two additional teeth, like 
minute feet, by the aid of which the maggot shoves itself for¬ 
ward when crawling. 
The larva obtains its growth, in summer, in about a fortnight. 
It is then so plump and full fed, with its skin distended and glossy, 
that it sometimes seems to be too obese and lazy to crawl away, 
and it accordingly remains in the cavity inside of the onion to pass 
its pupa state. But as it is liable to be disturbed if it is lying 
here ,by other younger maggots moving around and rubbing against 
it, it much more frequently crawls out into the wet slimy earth 
which is in contact with the onion. It here ceases to move, it 
becomes contracted and shorter in length, its skin hardens and 
changes to a tarnished yellow and finally to a chesnut color with 
a stain of black at each end. It is now in its pupa state, as shown 
in the two right hand figures of the preceding cut, its hardened outer 
skin forming a pod or case, inside of which the real pupa is inclosed 
— white, soft, and showing on its surface the wings and legs of 
the future fly in'a rudimentary state. 
The insect lies dormant in the ground in its pupa state about 
two weeks, the time varying, being shorter when the weather is 
hot and longer when it is cool. The hard outer shell then breaks 
open and a fly comes from it, which has a considerable resemblance 
to the common house-fly, though when the two are placed side by 
