4 
It is a European Insect. 
For several years subsequent to the first appearance of the 
Hessian fly in this country, it was universally believed to have 
been derived from abroad. When, however, the severe devasta- 
tions which it was committing upon this continent became known 
in Europe, public attention was so strongly excited as to lead to 
an extensive and thorough search for the insect there. The result 
of this investigation, as given by Sir Joseph Banks in his report 
to the British government, was, that “no such insect could be 
found to exist in Germany or any other part of Europe.” It was 
in consequence, received as an established fact, and assented to 
on all hands, that this was an exclusively American species. Of 
late years, however, new light has been shed upon this subject; 
and we now proceed to detail the evidence which induces us to 
believe that the Hessian fly is indeed a European insect. 
It would appear that this insect, or one identical with it in its 
appearance and habits, did exist, and commit severe ravages in 
Europe, long anterior to its appearance in America. In Du- 
hamel’s Practical Treatise of Husbandry, (London, 1759, Ato, p. 
90,) and also in his Elements of Agriculture, (Lond. 1764, 8yo., 
vol. i., p. 269,) after alluding to a worm in the root of oats, he 
says, “I suspect it to have been an insect of this kind that de- 
stroyed so much wheat in the neighborhood of Geneva, and which 
“M. de Chateauvieux describes thus: ‘Our wheat in the present 
month of May 1755, sustained a loss, which even that cultivated 
according to the new husbandry has not escaped. A number of 
small white worms have been found on it, which, after a time, 
turn to a chesnut color; they place themselves betwixt the leaves 
and gnaw the stalk; they are commonly found betwixt the first 
joint and the root; the stalks on which they fix are immediately 
at a stand; they grow yellow and wither. The same accident 
happened in 1732: these insects appeared about the middle of 
May, and did so much damage that the crops were scarcely worth 
anything.’ ” This account, though perhaps too brief and imper- 
fect to justify a decided opinion, corresponds much more exactly 
