THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 43 



was previously deemed innocuous. I do not attempt to 

 suggest a remedy at present.] 



" To Edward Neivman, F.L.S., dr. 



" Larne, November 26, 1875. 



" Dear Sir, — The firm of which I am a member has 

 suffered serious loss by holes in linens exposed on bleach- 

 fields during this summer and autumn in particular, and at 

 same seasons in former years, without being able to ascertain 

 the cause. 



" I presume you are aware that the system of bleaching 

 linens in this country is a ))eculiarly tedious one, extending 

 over six weeks. The linens, after having been boiled in 

 soda-ley and tlioroughly washed, are spread over bleach- 

 fields, where they remain for days; and this process is 

 repeated again and again, according to quality, for some 

 linens require double the amount of work that others do; 

 and I have invariably found that those which require the 

 most frequent grassing have been most subject to holes. I 

 have been obliged to give the matter very special attention ; 

 and in September last I detected a particular lot of linens 

 very seriously damaged at grass by holes, and this lot 

 covered with thousands of these caterpillars. 



" I should mention that before being sent to grass I had 

 this parcel of linens most carefully examined, by drawing 

 each web over a pole, erected in front of a window, and 

 found it free from holes. When brought in from grass four 

 days afterwards, 1 had it examined in the same manner, in 

 same place, and by the same person, when the holes were 

 discovered with thousands of these caterpillars on the webs, 

 and in many cases in the holes; generally at each hole there 

 was a greenish matter, evidently ejected by these cateriiillars. 

 Some of the holes were not larger than the head of a pin, but 

 many of them were sufficiently large to admit of the cater- 

 pillars creeping through, and 1 found them in the act of doing 

 so. At every part of the web where I found holes I found 

 caterpillars in their vicinity, and where there were no holes 

 1 did not find them. 



" I am sorry 1 did not keep any samples of these holes as 

 they were when discovered, but I had them all very carefully 

 marked, and I now enclose you a i'ew cuttings to show you 



