OF SELBORNE. 153 



LETTER XXXIV. 



TO THE SAME. 

 DEAR SIR; Selborne, March 30, 1771. 



There is an insect with us, especially on 

 chalky districts, which is very troublesome 

 and teasing all the latter end of the Sum- 

 mer, getting into people's skins, especially 

 those of women and children, and raising 

 tumours which itch intolerably. This ani- 

 mal (which we call an harvest bug) is very 

 minute, scarce discernible to the naked eye, 

 of a bright scarlet colour, and of the genus 

 of A cams. They are to be met within 

 gardens on kidney beans, or any legumens ; 

 but prevail only in the hot months of Sum- 

 mer. Warreners, as some have assured me, 

 are much infested by them on chalky 

 downs ; where these insects swarm some- 

 times to so infinite a degree as to discolour 

 their nets, and to give them a reddish cast, 



