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PREFACE. 
-- 
The following pages are an endeavour to give a 
short account of the new crop-pest which has appeared 
amongst us, so far as we have as yet traced its history 
here. For the methods by which its ravages may be 
counteracted we are under obligations to the observers, 
and to the agricultural entomologists of other countries, 
where these have long been studied, and especially to 
those of the United States of America; and in quoting 
from their works, and to some slight extent making 
use of their illustrations, I have endeavoured fully to 
acknowledge the source, and also to separate these 
observations clearly from the British experiences of the 
past autumn. 
I beg also to express my sincere thanks to the eminent 
entomologists, whose names I have given in the following 
pages, for their kindness in ^examining into and con¬ 
firming my identification of the attack as that of 
Ceciclomyia destructor at a time when the task of identi¬ 
fication and bringing forward a crop injury never before 
known in the country was a most anxious responsibility 
which they assisted greatly to lighten. 
E. A. 0. 
