the Black Canker Caterpillar* ziy 
ieven or eight days more, the entire plants, except the ftronger 
fibres, were eaten up. A border under the hedge was regularly 
fpared until the body of the inclofure was finilhed ; but this 
done, the border was foon Gripped, and the gateway, and even 
the roads have been feen cqvered with caterpillars travelling in 
queft ol a frefli fupply of turnips; for the grafies, and indeed 
every plant, except the turnip and the charlock (linapis am 
venfis) they entirely negledt, and even die at their roots, with- 
out attempting to feed upon them. This deftru&ion has not 
been confined within a few miles of the eaftern coaft, but has 
reached, more or lefs, into the very center of the county. 
The mifehief, however, in the weftern parts of Norfolk, and 
even on the north coaft, has been lefs general ; but I am afraid 
it may be faid, with a great deal of truth, that one half of 
the turnips in the county have been cut off by this voracious 
animal 
A circumftance fo difeouraging to induftry, and injurious to 
the public at large, will, I flatter myfelf, Sir, be thought a 
fufficient apology for my troubling you with a relation of it, 
and for my taking the liberty of fending you a male and a 
female fly, alfo one of the animals in its caterpillar, and one 
which is in its chryfalis ftate, for your infpedtion, hoping that 
the public may become acquainted with the means of pre- 
venting in future fo great a calamity. 
Left the flies may become disfigured in travelling, it may be 
prudent to fay, that their wings are four; that their antennae 
are clubbed, and about one-third of the length of their body, 
each being compofed of nine joints, namely, two next the 
head, above which two there is a joint lomewhat longer than 
the reft, and above this fix more joints, fimilar to the two be- 
low ; that near the point of the tail of the female there is a 
F f 2 black 
