infests the Loinbardy- Poplar. 149 



negative experiments, and raise the venomous properties 

 of the Poplar- Caterpillar high on the scale of probability. 

 If they do not decisively settle the question, which I do 

 not, and have not advanced, they undoubtedly forbid all 

 conclusions in behalf of the absolute innocence of the 

 animal. But to proceed. 



To elucidate the points still more, and afford counte- 

 nance to what has been said, I will adduce a few autho- 

 rities from the French and English Naturalists. Not, 

 sir, thereby to put a taper into your hands; far from it : 

 it would not be becoming in me to light your steps in 

 science. 



In the third volume of the Dictionnaire des Sciences 

 we met with the following : "II n'y a qu'un seul risque 

 a courir en les touchant, e'est de rencontrer certaines 

 chenilles velues dont les poils sont si fins, si roides, si 

 fragiles, et si legers qu'ils se cassent aisement en petits 

 fragmens qui se repandent tout autour des chenilles. 

 Ces poils s'attachent sur les mains, sur le visage, sur les 

 paupieres, &c, ils causent sur la peau une deman- 

 geaison assez cuisante, qui dure quelquefois pendant 

 quatre ou cinq jours, sur-tout lorsqu'on irrite cette de- 

 mangeaison en frottant les endroits ou est la douleur, 

 Souvent il se forme sur la peau des elevures," &c. 



" In touching Caterpillars of a particular hairy spe- 

 cies, there is but one hazard. Their hair is so fine 

 stiff, brittle, and light, that they easily break into smal 

 fragments, and are dispersed in every direction about the 

 suppr.. n 



