[ J8i ] 
ther and bum them. On a Fafm at He at hat, near 
5 Miles S.W. from Norwich , of Zo L per Annum y 
belonging to St. Helens Hofpital in this City, in 
the Occupation of Mr. James Ebdin , thefe Infe&s 
were fo numerous laft Year, that the Farmer and his 
Servants affirmed they gather'd eighty Bufhels of them, 
the Eruca of wlvch had fo fpoiled the Produce of his 
Farm, that the Court of this City, in Compaffion of 
the poor Mans Misfortune, allowed him 25 /. The 
Order for which I fend you a Copy of, dated "Dec. 5, 
1746’ 
In the Day time few of the Beetles fly about, but 
conceal themfelves under the Leaves of Oaks, Syca- 
mores, Limes, &c. where they feem afleep till near 
Sun-fet, when they take Wing and fly about the 
Hedges, as thick as Swarms of Bees$ at which 
time they frequently daftv themfelves againft People's 
Faces with great Violence, and by their fo doing 
occafioned the common Proverb, As blind as a 
Beetle . 
Mouffet tells us, it is recorded, that on the 24th 
of February i in the Year 1574.- there fell fuch a 
Multitude of thefe Infe&s into the River Severn , 
that they flopp'd and clogg'd the Wheels of the 
Water-Mills: As to which I muft take notice, that 
their coming fo early in the Year was no lefs extra- 
ordinary than their Multitudes 5 for the larger Spe- 
cies feldom appear till the Month of May 5 and a 
fmaller Sort, which come out in July and Augujl y 
are feldom feen after the Evenings grow' cold. 
We are told in the Tranf actions of the ^Dublin So- 
ciety, that the Country People in one Part of that 
Kingdom fuffer'd fo greatly by the Devaftation made 
by 
