INTRODUCTION. 
7 £> 
Instances of tlieir depredations are indeed of such 
ordinary occurrence as to have fallen under the 
observation of almost every one, and absolve us from 
any necessity of giving many details on the subject. 
Perhaps the species which have proved most in- 
jurious to the produce of our fields in this country, 
are those of the Broivn-tail-motli C Porlhesia auri- 
Jlua, Steph., Bom. phoeorrhoea, Curtis. Don.), the 
Gamma-moth (Plusia gamma), the Antler-moth 
( Charceas graminis ), the Lackey C Clisiocampa 
neustria ), the Buff-tip C Pygasra bucephala ), the 
Cabbage-moth (Mamestra Brassicce), the small 
Ermines ( Yponomeula ), and a few others. The first 
mentioned of these increased to an extraordinary 
degree in several parts of England in the summer 
of 178'2, and by completely defoliating the frees, 
occasioned such alarm that prayers were ordered to 
be read in the chmches to avert the calamity. It 
was apprehended, by those ignorant of their history, 
that these caterpillars would likewise destroy the 
growing com and grass ; but it was soon sho^vn that 
the leaves of trees and shrubs form their only food, 
and that these valuable productions would conse- 
quently escape their attack. So numerous were 
these creatures, that subscriptions were opened in 
many parishes, and poor people employed to cut off 
the webs at the rate of a shilling a bushel, which 
were burned under the inspection of the overseers 
of the parish ; and it is stated that no less than 
fourscore bushels were for a while collected daily in 
