INSECTS 



2T9 



his disciple Frederic Weber, enumerates ninety-four 

 species in his A^omcjiclator Entomoliguus^ published 

 at Keil in 1795. 



We are not positively informed whether this is an 

 undescribed creature. Though Dr. Mitchell has often 

 seen and examined it, he still hesitates to decide on 

 so nice a point, as pronouncing whether, in so nu- 

 merous a family, this is a new individual. 



The history of a wheat insect has also been given, 

 by the Rev. Mr. Kirby, in a memoir printed in the 

 5th vol. of the Transactions of the London Linnsean 

 Society. He has treated of it as a non-descript; 

 But whether Mr. Kirby's insect is new or not, it is 

 not the animal which has been so greatly injurious to 

 the American farmers, for this latter infests the 

 stalk and vaginal leaves, while the former nestles in 

 the fructification and ear. 



Common opinion has ascribed the introduction of 

 the Hessian fiy into America, to the troops from 

 Hesse Cassel, v/hich came over with the British 

 troops, during the revolutionary war in the United 

 States. But there is great reason to believe this 

 opinion erroneous. Sir Joseph Banks informs Dr. 

 Mitchell, that it does not exist in England, and he 

 has no reason to believe its existence in any part of 

 Germany. Count Ginani of Ravenna, has not men- 

 tioned the fly in his splendid work* upon the diseases 

 to wliich wheat is subject in its growing state, though 

 fifty different insects are described.! 



Agreeably to the interesting observations of the 



* Delle malattie del grano in Erba in Pesaro ]7if9> 4to. 

 t Med. Repos. Hexac'c 2d^ vol, 1. 



