Observations on the Wheat- Moth. 119 



XX. Observations relative to the Wheat- Moth of 

 Pennsylvania, and other parts of the United-States. 

 In a letter to the Editor, from Mr. William 

 Mason Walmsley, of By berry, in Pennsylvania. 



Dear Sir, 



DURING the short stay that my brother made 

 with us, previous to his departure for Chambers- 

 burg, he was anxious to obtain some information re- 

 lative to the insect which has so much infested our 

 wheat, and some other grains, for the two last sea- 

 sons : but his engagements were such as to deprive 

 him of the opportunity. He, however, left an in- 

 junction on me, to prosecute the inquiry, with which 

 I have endeavoured to comply. Had I been better 

 acquainted with Natural History in general, I should, 

 doubtless, have been more successful. Notwithstand- 

 ing the small progress (if any) that I have made, I 

 submit the result to your perusal. 



I am not capable of giving any thing like a syste- 

 matic description of the insect ; nor do I suppose 

 this would be necessary, as you have, doubtless, ex- 

 amined it yourself. 



I cannot learn, that it was ever seen, in this part of 

 the country, until about nineteen years ago. This 

 information I have from Mr. Shoemaker, a very res- 

 pectable old gentleman, and a man of observation. 

 He supposes, that it came from the southward : but 

 I am not acquainted with his reasons for this conjee- 



