A SHORT 
HISTORY 
OF THE 
BROWN-TAIL MOTH, &c. 
T HE attention of the public has of late been ftrongly 
excited by the unufual appearance of infinite * numbers 
of large white webs, containing caterpillars, conspicuous on 
almoft every hedge, tree, and Ihrub, in the vicinity of the 
metropolis; refpefting which, advertifements, paragraphs, 
letters, &c. almoft without number, have appeared m the feve- 
ral news-papers, moft of which, though written with a good 
defign, have tended greatly to alarm the minds of the people. 
* Some idea may be formed of their numbers from the following circum- 
ftance In many of the parifhes about London, fubfenptions have been 
opened, and the poor people employed to cut off and colleS the webs at one 
tolling per buthel, which have bean burned under the mfpea.on of the 
church-wardens, overfeers, or beadle, of the parifh : at the firft onfet of tins 
bofinefs, four-fcore bulhels, as I was moft credibly informed, were colleft d 
in one day in the rarilh of Clapham. 
A 2 
elpecially 
