44 
CORN AND GRASS. 
affected with severe itching for a time, and have even refused to con¬ 
tinue their work, on the ground that the grain was (as they thought) 
poisonous. This is a trifling matter with human beings; but with 
animals, which cannot clear themselves quite so readily, it strikes one 
as just possible that it might induce them to rub themselves, &c., until 
they set up more serious evils, and might keep them in a state of unrest. 
I have not, however, any knowledge of such a thing having actually 
occurred. 
“ ‘ Finally, Mr. Robinson would, doubtless, like to know howto get 
rid of the creatures, and I fear I cannot help him much. I do not see 
how they can be eradicated from the rick, if it be deeply infected. If 
it could be pulled to pieces, and the hay in a loose condition exposed 
to dry heat, they would be killed, although even then it is possible that 
some eggs might survive ; but this process would probably not be worth 
doing. At any rate, as the creatures in such abundance unquestionably 
do a good deal of damage, I would suggest that it would be well to try 
and limit the damage for the future, by burning all refuse of the rick 
and all sweepings round it, and infected matter on the spot, and not 
carrying them about, or throwing them upon rubbish heaps.’ ”— 
(Albert D. Michael.) 
Another very similar observation was sent me subsequently from 
another quarter, of which I am not now able to give the full details ; 
but in the course of the past autumn I received the following enquiry, 
accompanied by myriads of the Mites, and also some of the Grass 
tops, through the hands of the Editor of the ‘Farming World,’ 
Edinburgh:— 
“ Sir,—We have this day forwarded by post, box containing sample 
of ‘ Mites,’ or insects like Mites, which are dropping in large quantities 
out of a lot of Rye-grass hay, bought by us some time ago. Hay this 
season’s growth, first cut, got in good order, local grown. We have 
stored it in a large, airy loft, but at doors and windows these vermin 
are dropping in shovelfuls. May we venture to ask your opinion as to 
the effect this may have on the hay, if it may be given to horses with¬ 
out fear of any evil results following its use ? So far the horses are 
eating it quite freely.—J. A. H.”* 
On most careful examination of these Mites with various microscopic 
powers, I found them to agree in every respect which I could distin¬ 
guish with the “longer” and long-haired kind of Cheese Mite, the 
Tyroglyphus longior , previously identified, and figured at the heading. 
But still we do not know (so far as I am aware) either what is 
the reason of the occasional appearance of these Mites in the hay¬ 
ricks, or in hay in a “ large airy loft,” nor yet how we are to get rid 
of them. 
* See 1 Farming World ’ Edinburgh, number for October 3rd, 1890, p. 631. 
