Remedies.

Under this head there is hardly any suggestion that can be made of any practical value. Agriculturists will see at once that it would be very difficult, if not almost impracticable, to apply lime or any such substance to check or kill the larvæ page 13 when the wheat plants are in ear. Even if they were applied it is questioned whether they would be of much avail. Fortunately, however, the Cecidomyia, like so many insects injurious to crops, has natural and relentless enemies. Two of these especially tend to diminish, and even entirely to stay its attacks in some years; viz., the Platygaster tipulæ, Nos. 11 and 14, and the Macroglenes penetrans, Nos. 12 and 13. These are species of Proctotrupidæ and Chalcididæ, families of parasites which live on other insects. The first named of these lays its eggs within the eggs of the Cecidomyia, being enclosed in a very long thread-like tube three or four times its own length, which is projected from its abdomen for the purpose of reaching and penetrating the eggs of its victim lying within the florets of the ear. The other, Macroglenes penetrans, having a comparatively short ovipositor, puts its eggs within the bodies of the larvæ of the midges. The eggs soon change to larvæ, which make short work of the carcases of their hosts.