89 
from that source. The larvae of Stilpnotia salicis, and of Porthesia auriflua 
were very destructive to gardens; in the summer of 1782 this last species 
multiplied to such an extent in England that prayers were offered in the 
churches, and money raised to collect the webs at Is. a bushel. The 
caterpillars of Clisiocampa Neustria were formidable to the gardener, feeding 
in colonies under a web, upon the young shoots of fruit trees, as were also 
those of Arctia caja, Spilosoma menthastri, and S. lubricepeda, which fed 
upon garden stuff. 
The habits and ravages of the Night-moths were not so well known, 
working as they did generally in the dark. Nearly 300 species were distin- 
guished, and the depredations of many of these, though great in the ag- 
gregate, could not be individually estimated, from their comparative 
scarcity. Several again were so various in their food, that when too nume- 
rous, instead of eating useless weeds, they would be induced to attack 
valuable plants. Nineteen species were enumerated, feeding upon various 
weeds, dock, plantain, chickweed, as well as upon some garden stuff, and on 
lichens and low herbage. Three were mentioned as highly detrimental, 
Cerapteryx graminis, which had been known to devastate acres of grass 
lands in the North of England ; Mamestra brassicae, so injurious to cab- 
bages, lettuce, &c, and Plusia gamima, which fed upon many vegetables 
and cultivated plants. Various species of the genus Agrotis attacked the 
roots of wheat and grass crops, and of other garden plants. Several other 
species of Noctuina were mentioned, amongst them Noetua Xanthographa, 
a common larva feeding on grasses, and Scopelosoma satellitia, which 
frequently attacked the smaller caterpillars of its own or of other species. 
The class of Geometrse were next considered ; it numbered 270 species, but 
only 40 were of economic importance, and of these, 28 were decidedly in- 
jurious, and only eight or ten fed upon noxious plants. Halia wavaria 
and Abraxus grossulariata were very damaging to currant and gooseberry 
bushes, and generally abounded. The very small larvae of Chiematobia 
brumata attacked the early flower buds on the fruit trees, as did also the 
larvae of Eupithecia rectan'gulata. Amongst the Geometrse beneficial to 
the agriculturist were Acidalia bisetata, which fed upon dandelions, and 
Larentia digymata, upon various^ Umbelliferas. 
The British Pyralides were fewer in number, and many of these were 
very scarce. Pyralis farinalis destroyed grain, flour, bran, &c. Aglossa 
pinguinalis fed on saddles and harness. Galleria meilonella and Aphomia 
colonella fed on the wax in the nests of hive and other bees : Ephestia 
ficeila and E. interpunctella lived on dried fruits, &c. A few 
common species fed upon noxious weeds, including even the 
stinging nettle. The larvae of the Veneer Moths were probably grass- 
feeding. The class Tortricina included many species, and was, on the 
whole, very destructive to agricultural produce, fruit and forest trees, and 
various bushes and useful plants. Among the more common and generallv 
destructive, from the variety of their food, were mentioned Tortrix ribeana, 
