APHIS. 
J85 
with so curious a phenomenon in the words of its 
describe!'. 
As we have remarked above that insects are 
often conveyed from one country to another in a 
very unaccountable manner, I shall here mention 
an emigration of small Aphides, which was ob- 
served in the village of Selborne no longer ago 
than August the first 1785 . At about three o’clock 
in the afternoon of that day, which was very hot, 
the people of this village were surprised by a 
shower of Aphides or smother-flies, which fell in 
these parts. Those that were walking in the 
streets at that juncture found themselves covered 
with these insects, which settled also on the hedges 
‘ and gardens, blackening all the vegetables where 
they alighted. My annuals were discoloured with 
them, and the stalks of a bed of onions were quite 
coated over for six days after. These armies were 
then no doubt in a state of emigration, and shift- 
ing their quarters; and might have come, as far 
as we know, from the great hop-plantations of 
Kent or Sussex, the wind being all that day in the 
easterly quarter. They were observed at the 
same time in great clouds about Farnham, and all 
along tlie vale from Farnham to Alton.” 
