SCREENINGS. 
31 
The damage is caused by the sap being abstracted both to feed the 
maggots and to form the galls, and the ears are consequently stunted, 
blasted, or shrivelled. The amount of damage may be a third or half 
the crop, or even the whole may not be worth cutting. It has been 
recorded in several parts of the United States. 
The important part of the life-history to us is that the maggot, 
when full-grown, “ for the most part continues unchanged till the 
following spring, when it assumes the pupa-state, and finally emerges 
as a four-winged fly in the month of June.” (The fly is about the 
tenth of an inch long, with four transparent wings, and black, with 
legs of some colour between black and pale yellow). 
From the above circumstance of the maggots remaining in the 
straw during the winter, there is a perfect possibility of the pest being 
transported either in imported straw, or relatively to our present con¬ 
sideration in short lengths of injured broken-otf straw such as I have 
found in “ rubble ” or screenings. 
The attack is of old standing in the States, but, as from some 
cause unknown we have already had one attack of old standing 
recently brought amongst us, it can at least do no harm to be on the 
alert in time against a second; and as in the course of last season 
information was given me of corn being observed with holes in the 
stems, there may be already reason for special watch. 
The attack may be easily distinguished by the swellings or galls 
above the lowest joints (with round holes in them in case the insects 
have escaped), and also by the fly being /oii?--winged and black. 
Amongst the various kinds of corn and meal beetles to be found in 
screenings or corn stores, the most hurtful kinds are the granary 
weevils, figured at p. 29. I have seen them in such numbers that 
enough to half fill a good-sized wash-hand basin was swept up at 
once from under a heap of corn in a granary in Gloucestershire, and 
had opportunity of watching their powers of spreading so as to infest 
all neighbouring outbuildings. 
The following observations regarding them were sent me during 
last season by Mr. G. L. Purchase, of Chichester:— 
“Weevil have been very numerous in a corn-store here; they 
came there in wheat. The wheat was heaped on a wood floor. When 
it was turned the weevil were found in immense numbers ; they spread 
over the floors, walls, and ceilings of the store. The corn had become 
very hot. When it was turned the weevil clustered on the top for a 
time, blackening the surface. 
“ An endeavour to kiU the weevil by fumigating the store has not 
been successful. Those about the walls survived. Parafi&n kills 
them, but it is said carbolic acid does not. 
“ Weevil are common in corn-mills, but, as the corn is frequently 
