HANEUEY ON TWO INSECT-PEODUCTS FEOM PEESIA. 181 



nication to the Academie des Sciences, and still later by a memoir 

 on tlie chemical history of Trehala, by M. Marcellin Berthelot, 

 also presented to the Academy*. 



From the investigations of M. Gruibourt, it appears that the 

 cocoons are composed of a large proportion of starch (identical 

 with that found in the stem of the Echinops, upon which the 

 insect forms its nest), of gum, a peculiar saccharine matter, a 

 bitter principle, besides earthy and alkaline salts. 



The saccharine principle, which has been especially examined 

 by M. Berthelot, and named by him Trehalose, is a body ana- 

 logous to cane-sugar, but possessing distinctive properties, which 

 separate it from that and all other varieties of sugar. 



M. Bourlier states that Trehala, which is abundant in the 

 shops of the Jew drug-dealers of Constantinople, is frequently 

 used by the Arab and Turkish physicians in the form of a decoc- 

 tion, which is regarded by them as of peculiar efficacy in diseases 

 of the respiratory organs. 



The second insect-product to which I would draw attention, is 

 a saccharine substance resembling dark honey. Mr. Loftus, who 

 obtained it near Kirrind, 13th July, 1851, and whose specimen is 

 in the British Museum, states that it is exuded from a species of 

 thistle when pierced by a Bhynchophorous insect ; but he fails to 

 inform us for what purposes it is used by the inhabitants. 



Mr. Loftus having also presented the Museum with excellent 

 specimens both of the plant and insect, I am able to state that 

 the former is Echinops persicus, Fisch., and the latter a new 

 species of Larinus, to which M. Jekel has applied the name 

 Larinus mellijicu&, and of which he has drawn up the following 

 description : — 



"Larinus mellificus, Jekel (fig. 3). Breviter ovatus, convexus, 

 niger, nitidus ; infra subtiliter, lateribus thoracis margineque elytro- 

 rum intus medio versus angulariter ampliata, apieem occupante gri- 

 seo-cinerascenti tomentosis ; rostro leviter punetato, basi utrinque 

 bicanaliculato cum elevatione media lata subcariniformi ; thorace sub- 

 conico antice tubulato, supra confertim sat rude punetato, lateribus 

 subrugoso; elytris striato-punctatis, interstitiis latis, planis, trans- 

 versim subtilissime rugulosis, cum abdomine tenuissime alutaceis, 

 punctis majoribus remotioribus irapressis ; pectore, lateribus, pedi- 

 busque rugoso-punctatis, femoribus infra fortiter oblique costato- 

 rugosis ; tibiis intus, anticis fortius crenulatis. Long, (rostr. excl.) 

 16-18, lat. elytr. 8-9 mill. 



* Comptes Eendus, 28 Jiiin 1858, p. 1276. 



