OF SELBORNE. 235 



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 havock 

 in the field and garden. Farmer Young, of Norton Farm, 

 says that this spring (1777) about four acres of his wheat 

 in one field was entirely destroyed by slugs, whicli swarmed 

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



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 enter- 

 tainment 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 convinced that will take the pains to examine 

 his grassplots with a candle ; are hermaphrodites, and very 

 prolific. 



LETTER XXXVI. 1 



TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGT.ON. 



SELDORXE, Nov. 22, 1777. 



OU cannot but remember that the 26th and 

 27th of last March were very hot days; so 

 sultry that everybody complained, and were 

 restless under those sensations to which they 

 had not been reconciled by gradual ap- 

 proaches. 



This sudden summer-like heat was attended by many 

 summer coincidences ; for on those two days the thermo- 

 meter rose to 66 in the shade ; many species of insects 



1 This letter was first printed in " Barrington's Miscellanies" (1781), 

 p. 225. " I shall here,*' he says, " subjoin a letter which I have re- 

 ceived from that ingenious and observant naturalist, the llev. Mr. White, 

 of Sclborne, Hampshire." ED. 



