go Ohfervations on the HeJJian Fly. 



to be confirmed by the appearance of a fmall quantity of bran 

 which would fall out of many flieaves of wheat when they were 

 fliaken ; but notwithftanding this appearance, it was fufficiently 

 evident, upon a more careful examination, that this opinion 

 muft neceflarily be erroneous ; and that this infe6l, which was 

 affirmed to be the Heffian Fly, could have no relation to that 

 which was found to be fo injurious to the wheat when growing 

 in the field. Repeated ohfervations were made at that time by 

 a gentleman of Shelter-Ifland and myfelf, to afcertain the fa6l, 

 whether there was any connexion between thefe two fpecies 

 of infe6ls, and whedier the infeft which was upon the wheat in 

 fheaf did in reality any mifchief to the grain. When the 

 flieaves of wheat were fhaken, there fell out a fmall white infe6l 

 which very much refembled the one commonly called a book- 

 loufe ; this as it grew larger appeared gradually to turn of a 

 brown colour, and to have wings, but not to undergo any 

 regular transformation like many other fpecies of infefts ; and 

 at laft it appeared to become a fmall black fly. There was no 

 other fpecies except this which could be imagined to be the 

 Heffian Fly, and this did not appear to derive any nouriffiment 

 from the grain ; it was mofl probable that it was fome kind of 

 infeft which was brought in with the wheat from the field, and 

 only harbored during the winter feafon in the ftraw, and might 

 perhaps have been eafily difcovcred before if the wheat had 

 been examined. The appearance of bran, which fell from the 

 fheaves, we fuppofed ought rather to be accounted for, as 



