32 
CORN AND GRASS. 
Some meadows were literally strewn with dead tufts, which the sheep 
had pulled up in feeding, and about the beginning of September the 
Tipulce Flies swarmed, rising at every step when disturbed in the 
pasture.” 
In my own observations of the habits of these Flies, I found all that 
has been said of their frequenting damp localities and long rough 
herbage confirmed, even to the point that where there were a few feet 
or yards of long neglected grass in otherwise sunny pasture, these 
parts were especially infested by pairing Tipulce. 
With regard to the exact spots for egg-laying, it appeared to me 
these were chosen with more care as to locality than is usually sup¬ 
posed, and I watched the female selecting a little morsel of dead leaves 
in -a damp path, or a similar collection amongst grass to lay under. 
From this it occurs that the process of hush-harrowing grass-land, 
which is known to be serviceable as a prevention for Wireworm- 
attack, would be even more useful here. The dead leaves amongst 
the grass and decaying matter generally would thus be thoroughly 
disturbed, and much that was stirred up to sunshine and air would be 
too dry for egg-laying on, and likewise, from what happens in other 
cases, we might expect many of the eggs which had been laid amongst 
these rotting matters would be destroyed by being dried up when 
exposed. 
I also tried very light sprinkling of gas-lime, about a month from 
the works, on a garden lawn which was infested by the Flies, and 
found it acted partially, but not entirely, in keeping them off. Like¬ 
wise, though the application destroyed some of the grass-blades for a 
while, it was followed by good growth, and by extremely good growth 
of Clover, whilst the moss was also generally destroyed ; this in itself 
removed much damp shelter for eggs. 
Further, as the males and females are remarkably different in 
shape, it was noticed that only a small or moderate proportion of the 
Flies were female, which may give hope for less injury than might be 
expected from the vast number of Flies that have appeared. 
Young-Wheat Maggot. {? Sciara fucata). 
Early in the year I was favoured with some notes from Dr. A. 
Voelcker, Consulting Chemist of the Eoyal Agricultural Society, 
relative to a small Fly-maggot, which was then attacking some of the 
experimental Wheat at Woburn. 
I am not aware of the attack having been previously noticed, and 
further information regarding it would be very desirable ; therefore, at 
my request, Dr. Voelcker permits me to give his observations. The 
