44 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
their appearance after having undergone the necessary slavery 
of bleaching. I also enclose samples of same after finishing, 
and you will remark that these holes are very clean cut. 
“| fortunately collected a number of these caterpillars in 
a piece of newspaper which I had in my pocket; they cut 
their way out of it, leaving on it the same greenish marks, 
and the holes in it are identically similar to those as made on 
the linens when examined. I enclose you also this scrap of 
newspaper. 
‘Since the early part of October, when the colder weather 
set in, these caterpillars have disappeared, and simultaneously 
the holes are not to be found. I am therefore convinced that 
the holes in the linens have been caused by these caterpillars, 
and to an extent which, without seeing, must be incredible. 
I do not for a moment contend that the caterpillars eat the 
linens for food; but is it impossible that they eat their way 
out of the cloth, just as a rat does, to make its exit, for of 
course the linens when exposed at grass become tossed by 
wind, &c., and are generally blown into rolls; and when 
caterpillars are upon the webs they are enclosed in the folds, 
and may they not eat their way out? Iam convinced that 
they do; and, as the caterpillars will doubtless appear again 
next season, I am now mainly anxious to prevent next season 
the destruction I have had to submit to this year. Can you 
inform me how this is to be done? 
“The bleach-fields are forty acres in extent, and, having 
been in grass for perhaps half a century, they are, of course, 
very much covered with moss. The moths’-eggs laid this 
year will doubtless become caterpillars about June next; by 
destroying their eggs 1 get rid of the plague. I have thought 
of giving the fields a heavy coat of lime, which is to be had 
of very best quality in great abundance in this neighbour- 
hood. I have been recommended salt by one, and nitrate of 
soda by another; but, as the case is a very peculiar one, I 
am anxious to act under such professional advice as you are 
so competent to give. I therefore beg that, even if I have 
failed to convince you of the possibility of the holes having 
been caused by these caterpillars in the way | have described 
(not as food, but as a means of exit), you will nevertheless be 
good enough to inform me what, in your opinion, is the best 
means to adopt with a view to rid the field of any eggs laid 
