lO Imms, Homopterous Insect PJiromnia {Plata) viargmella. 



the product into water, acidifying, extracting the ether, 

 drying and evaporating the latter, a semi-crystalline mass 

 was left. This was neutralised with methyl alcoholic 

 baryta, dried at lOO^C and extracted with acetone. The 

 acetone dissolves a crystalline material, probably one of the 

 higher fatty alcohols. Indications of cholesterol were 

 absent ; the barium salts, remaining after extraction with 

 acetone, were treated with warm hydrochloric acid, the 

 liquid extracted with ether, then dried and evaporated, and 

 a solid fatty acid was left. This had all the characters of 

 a higher fatty acid. The substance is unaffected by five 

 minutes' heating at a temperature of ioo°C. with strong 

 sulphuric acid, showing that it is not of a glucositic nature. 

 In addition to wax, the larvze of Phromma marginella 

 excrete a liquid giving a sweet taste, which falls on the 

 leaves where it hardens. According to Cotes, ^ in 

 Garhwal it is recorded that the natives eat this excretion, 

 and term the insects which produce it " Dhaberi,' meaning 

 sheep, in allusion to their habit of clustering together and 

 jumping away when disturbed. Nothing appears to be 

 known as to method of origin of this fluid, whether it is 

 excreted through the anus or by means of special glands. 



' ^ Loc, cit. p. 97. 



