APHIS. J85 



with so curious a phenomenon in the words of its 

 describer. 



" As we have remarked above that insects are 

 often conveyed from one country to another in a 



/ 



very unaccountable manner, I shall here mention 

 an emigration of small Aphides, which was ob- 

 served in the village of Selborne no longer ago 

 than August the first 1785. At about three o'clock 

 in the afternoon of that day, which was very hot, 

 the people of this village were surprised by a 

 shower of Aphides or smother-flies, which fell in 

 these parts. Those that were walking in the 

 streets at that juncture found themselves covered 

 with these insects, which settled also on the hedges 

 and gardens, blackening all the vegetables where 

 they alighted. My annuals were discoloured with 

 them, and the stalks of a bed of onions were quite 

 coated over for six days after. These armies were 

 then no doubt in a state of emigration, and shift- 

 ing their quarters; and might have come, as far 

 as we know, from the great hop-plantations of 

 Kent or Sussex, the wind being all that day in the 

 easterly quarter. They were observed at the 

 same time in great clouds about Farnham, and all 

 along the vale from Farnham to Alton." 



