38 
CORN. 
careful examination, by Mr. Thomas Andrew (a considerable farmer, 
residing in the parish of Clovelly). 
On June 30th, I had specimens of chrysalis of Frit Fly from 
Allerford, near Taunton, Somerset. So far as was generally observable, 
the appearance of the pest in South Devon seems to have been just a 
little later, for, on July 2nd, I received specimens of injured Oats and 
small brown chrysalids of the Frit Fly from Mr. R. R. Yelvin, of 
Upton Farm, Ivybridge, S. Devon, with a note that they were taken 
from a field of what at one time promised a splendid crop. “They 
were attacked in this way about a month ago, and now quite half of 
them are like the enclosed. I may say they are all over the field just 
alike. I see by the newspaper that the Oat-crop in N. Devon has been 
very generally attacked in a similar way, but, as far as I can hear, 
mine is a solitary case in this neighbourhood.” 
A few days later,—that is, on July 2nd,—I had a report from 
Mr. John Bulteel, of Painflete, Ivybridge (S. Devon), showing that 
the Frit Fly attack had then become noticeable. He said :—“ Nothing 
could have been more luxuriant than our Oat-crop at an early stage, 
but at present the whole aspect has changed, the fields being one mass 
of patches, getting worse and worse daily. I presume the crop is 
suffering in the same way as is going on in the north of Devon.” 
Specimens of diseased Oat-plants were sent with the white maggots, 
and some chrysalids, but the change from one condition to the other 
was now going on so rapidly, that when I received them all were in 
chrysalis condition. The plants were stunted in growth by the attack, 
and one had as many as twelve spindly shoots, some of them killed. 
On July 8th a note was sent from Treluddra, Newlyn East, of the 
great destruction made on the Oat-crop in that part of Cornwall by 
what proved, from specimens sent, to be the same attack. 
On July 17th I was favoured with a complete set of specimens, 
including maggot, chrysalis, and perfect Frit Fly, sent me from 
Bodmin by Mr. Richard V. Tellan. He remarked:—“A great deal 
of damage has been done this season to the Oat-crop in this district 
by a small insect, which has destroyed the young panicle before it has 
had time to develop. I should suppose that the egg was deposited as 
soon as the stalk began to spring from the roots.” Mr. Tellan 
mentioned, with regard to the specimens enclosed, that he forwarded 
“ the perfect insect and pupa ” (chrysalis). “ The insect was developed 
from the pupa in the glass tube, where I had placed them. They were 
taken from under the sheath of the Oat-straw. There is a single 
specimen of the larva (living) in the tube. Most of them had changed 
to the pupa-state before my attention was called to them.” 
The above communication is very valuable, as it gives the pest in 
all its stages of maggot, chrysalis, and perfect fly, and thus proves, 
