DIRECT INJUniES FROM MOTHS. 55 



difficulty that even a single larva could be met 

 with.* 



The Brown-tail Moth has made a conspicuous 

 figure in history, from the great alarm its caterpillar 

 caused to the inhabitants of the vicinity of London 

 in the year 1782. These were so multitudinous, and 

 their devastation was so complete, that rewards were 

 offered for collecting the caterpillars, and the church- 

 warden and overseers of parishes were appointed to 

 see them burnt. The peasantry and others flocked 

 in with bushels of them from all directions, for the 

 sake of the premium. 



In the year 1731, the caterpillar of the Bombi/x 

 ilhpar committed terrible havoc among the oaks of 

 France ; and in 17<)7, the larva of the Bomhijx 

 monaclia of Fabricius sadly devastated many of the 

 extensive forests in the vicinity of Hareuth, in 

 Bavaria.t And De Geer informs us tliat the Nodua 

 brumata of Fabricius is a dreadful enemy to all 

 forest-trees. In various provinces of Nortli America, 

 the woods are entirely stript of their foliage by a 

 species of caterpillar of the moth tribe. Tiiis usually 

 happens during the warm season, and often proves 

 fatal to the forest, as the trees, being deimded of 

 their leaves, are totally dried up, and die. J 



These are among the enemies which make an 



• Reaumur, ii. 122. 



■^ WiENEii, Verzeich. 8vo edition, p. 5.5. 



X Kalm'» Travels, ii. 7. 



