OF INSECTS IN GENERAL, 3I5 



tdifcover a mode of preventing fuch devaftations, would 

 certainly deferve well of his country and of mankind, by 

 communicating information that tended fo direclly to the 

 public good. 



The tar extracted from coal by that ingenious noble- 

 man the Earl of Dutidonald, when better known, will 

 probably be found an efficacious remedy againll the cor- 

 rofions of wood by infers in all cafes where it can be 

 applied. It not only penetrates fo deeply into wood that 

 it cannot be wafhed away ; but is of fo acjid a fubflance, 

 as mufl inevitably deftroy worms. The intolerable ef- 

 fluvia which it emits, will, however, prevent its appli- 

 cation in the cafe of houfehold furniture. 



The pernicious genus of phabena, which contains all 

 the different fpecies of moths, makes (lill nearer ap- 

 proaches to man in the hoftilities which it commits. No 

 perfon is ignorant of the deftruflive quality of thefe in- 

 fects to woollen cloth, and all kinds of fur and wearing 

 apparel. The aflonifliing inflin6l of thefe animals, in 

 providing a proper receptacle for their eggs, and food for 

 their young, have not withdrawn that indefatigable en- 

 tymologifl Reaumiere, from devifing efficacious methods 

 of preventing their depredations upon woollen Huffs and 

 furs *. 



Of fuch vail extent are the mifchiefs occafioned by the 

 infe£l tribe upon the various objects of human induftry, 

 and the neceffaries of life ; all thefe, however, would in 

 a manner difappear, were we to refleft upon their dan= 

 gerous effects upon the human body, and the hufband- 

 man's attention would be withdrawn from the depreda- 

 tions committed on his fields, did he imagine that thou- 



* Vide Mem. de I' Acad. i;*^. 



R r 2 fando 



