with a f:o'-t H'ljlory of the Ccramhyx Swlaccui (f Linnctus. 253 



hceus, and informs us that it probably feeds upon the fir, but at the 

 iartle time exprcffcs a ftroiigfuf[)icion that this beautiful infcdl is not 

 originally Englill-i. How far this may be true, it is not my intention to 

 inquire ; 1 lliall only obfcrvc, that it is now become but too common, 

 at kal^ in one fpot, in the neighbourhood of London, as will appear 

 from thofe circumftances of its hiftory which I am going to relate. 



My friend and relation Mr. James Trimmer of Old Brcnttord (<7), 

 an attentive obfervcr of nature, more pai^ticularly of the economy 

 and habits of infects, and to whom I am indebted for much 

 curious and intercfting information in this branch of fcience, fome 

 time ago wrote to inform me, that he had found this infect in its 

 three flates in fir-timber, and accompanied this in*^elligence with 

 many ingenious remarks. Expefting him foon to vifit me at Barham, 

 in my anfwer I requefted him to bring with him fome of its A^rr^c and 

 fupiT, and alfo fome pieces of the wood upon which they had been 

 feeding ; at the fame time I defired him to continue obfcrving their 

 motions. What follows relative to the hiftory of this Cerarubjx.'is 

 chiefly compiled from his communications, which I thought too 

 interefting to be lofl'. 



The fir in which Mr. Trimmer fiifl found this infc»5l was of 

 E.ngli(h growth, of the fpruce kind, which had not been, felled 

 many years, and had originally grown near the fpot on which the 

 building was eredted in which it was employed: it did not appear- 

 to have been attacked more than two }cars when Mr. Tiimmer 

 made his obfervations ; and it fuffered mod in 179,8, when the Inrva: 

 had multiplied fo much, and been fo extremely voracious as to 

 have left very little food for another year. Some Scotch fir in an 



(a) Son of Mrs. Trimmer, fo juftly celebrated for her humane and.fuccefsful exer- 

 tions to procure the great, blefling of a religious education for the children of the poor. 



adjacent 



