44 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



their appearance after having undergone the necessary slavery 

 of bleaching. I also enclose samples of same after finishing, 

 and you will remark that these holes are very clean cut. 



" I fortunately collected a number of these caterpillars in 

 a piece of newspaper which I had in my pocket; they cut 

 their way out of it, leaving on it the same greenish marks, 

 and the holes in it are identically siuiilar to those as made on 

 the linens when examined. 1 enclose you also this scrap of 

 newspaper. 



" Since the early part of October, when the colder weather 

 set in, these caterpillars have disappeared, and simultaneously 

 the holes are not to be found. I am therefore convinced that 

 the holes in the linens have been caused by these caterpillars, 

 and to an extent which, without seeing, must be incredible. 

 I do not for a moment, contend that the caterpillars eat the 

 linens for food ; but is it impossible that they eat their way 

 out of the cloth, just as a rat does, to make its exit, for of 

 course the linens when exposed at grass become tossed by 

 wind, &c., and are generally blown into rolls; and when 

 caterpillars are upon the webs they are enclosed in the folds, 

 and may they not eat their way out? I am convinced that 

 they do; and, as the caterpillars will doubtless appear again 

 next season, 1 am now mainly anxious to prevent next season 

 the destruction I have had to submit to this year. Can you 

 inform me how this is to be done ? 



" The bleach-fields are forty acres in extent, and, having 

 been in grass for perhaps half a century, they are, of course, 

 very much covered with moss. The moths'-eggs laid this 

 year will doubtless become caterpillars about June next; by 

 destroying their eggs 1 get rid of the plague. I have thought 

 of giving the fields a heavy coat of lime, which is to be had 

 of very best quality in great abundance in this neighbour- 

 hood. 1 have been recommended salt by one, and nitrate of 

 soda by another; but, as the case is a very peculiar one, I 

 am anxious to act under such professional advice as you are 

 so competent to give. I therefore beg that, even if I have 

 failed to convince you of the possibility of the holes having 

 been caused by these caterpillars in the way 1 have described 

 (not as food, but as a means of exit), you will nevertheless be 

 good enough to inform me what, in your opinion, is the best 

 means to adopt with a view to rid the field of any eggs laid 



