NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 



cies of coleoptera (scarabs) and tipulce (long-legs) in their larva, 

 or grub-state; and by unnoticed myriads of small shell-less 

 snails, called slugs, which silently and imperceptibly make 

 amazing havoc in the field and garden. 1 



These hints we think proper to throw out in order to set the 

 inquisitive and discerning to work. 



A good monography of worms would afford much entertain- 

 ment and information at the same time, and would open a large 

 and new field in natural history. Worms work most in the 

 spring ; but by no means lie torpid in the dead months : are 

 out every mild night in the winter, as any person may be con- 

 vinced that will take the pains to examine his grass-plots with 

 a candle ; are hermaphrodites, and much addicted to venery, 

 and consequently very prolific. 



I am, etc. 

 NOTE 



1 Farmer Young, of Norton Farm, says, that this spring (1777) about four 

 acres of his wheat in one field were entirely destroyed by slugs, which swarmed 

 on the blades of corn and devoured it as fast as it sprang. G. W. 



LETTER XXXVI 



SELBORNE, Nov. 22nd, 1777. 



DEAR SIR, You cannot but remember that the 26th and 

 27th of last March were very hot days, so sultry that every- 

 body complained and were restless under those sensations to 

 which they had not become reconciled by gradual approaches. 



This sudden summer-like heat was attended by many sum- 

 mer coincidences ; for on those two days the thermometer rose 

 to 66 in the shade ; many species of insects revived and came 

 forth ; some bees swarmed in this neighborhood ; the old tor- 

 toise, near Lewes, in Sussex, awakened and came forth out 

 of its dormitory ; and, what is most to my present purpose, 

 many house-swallows appeared and were very alert in many 

 places, and particularly at Cobham, in Surrey. 



But as that short warm period was succeeded as well as pre- 

 ceded by harsh severe weather, with frequent frosts and ice, 



