1910 ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. PART Ill. 
young, possesses locomotive powers, yet, after impregnation, it greatly increases 
in size, and the eggs are deposited beneath the body ; so that, by degrees, as the 
eggs are excluded, the two surfaces of the body come together, and form a 
covering for the eggs: hence, it will be observed that it is only the females 
which are collected ; the males, in the perfect state, being minute, active, two- 
winged flies, totally unlike their inert partners. This production has been 
in use amongst the Eastern nations from the earliest ages. It was known 
to the Phcenicians, before the time of Moses, under the name of tola, or 
thola (yy); to the Greeks, under that of coccus («oxkec); and, to the 
Romans, under that of coccum, or coccus baphica; whence the origin of the 
terms coccus and coccinum, which were given to cloth dyed with kermes ; 
whilst persons wearing this kind of cloth were said by the Romans to be 
coccinati (Mart., lib. i. epig. 97. lin. 6.) From the peculiar character of 
this production, it is not surprising, that its real nature was long unknown. 
By some of the early naturalists, it was regarded as the fruit of the tree upon 
which it was found; and by others, who discovered the real organs of fructifi- 
cation of the tree, that it was a vegetable excrescence similar in its nature to 
the galls caused by the punctures of the Cynfpide. This opinion was main- 
tained even in 1711, by M. De Marsigli, in a dissertation written at Bologna, 
and addressed to M. Vallisnieri. In 1714, however, M. Cestoni addressed a 
letter to the same philosopher, in which he clearly traced the identity of the 
nature of the kermes, and that of the scale insects of the orange and other 
trees. This letter is printed in the collection of the works of Vallisnieri, 
with a short preface by the latter, who appears to have hesitated in adopting 
the opinion of M. Cestoni. Very shortly afterwards, however, the entire 
history of the insect was traced by Messrs. Garidel and Emeric, correspond- 
ents of the Academy of Paris; who, prompted by M. Tournefort, by 
daily examinations of branches infected with the kermes, made themselves 
fully acquainted with its history, and proved it to be a species of Céccus. 
(Garid. Aix. Env., 250., t. 53. and 2.) Réaumur has also given a full account 
of it in his Mémoires, tom. iv. mém. 1. pl. 5. In its natural state, the 
kermes is of a shining appearance, and of the colour of a plum covered with 
a whitish bloom. In the state in which it is brought into the market, it 
appears of a dull reddish brown; which is not, of course, the natural colour 
of good kermes, but is imparted to it by steeping it in vinegar. The inha- 
bitants of the countries where the kermes is obtained, distinguish three 
different stages in its existence. In the Provencal language, they call it 
“le ver,’ and say of it, when it is in its earliest state of activity, “ Le ver 
couve;” subsequently, in the month of April, when the kermes becomes 
stationary, and begins to attain its fullest size, they say, “ Le ver commence 
déclore;” and, in its last state, in the middle or towards the end of May, the 
insect is found reduced to a skin, covering its brood of eggs, to the number of 
1800 or 2000. The crop of kermes is more or less abundant, according to 
the state of the preceding winter; when, therefore, there has been no frost, 
and the weather has been generally mild, a good crop is expected, which is not 
obtained every year; and, as there is no trouble in planting or attending to. 
the growth of the kermes, and as no other instruments are required than long 
nails to the fingers, it may be easily supposed that the harvest is a very unex- 
pensive one. Females are employed in collecting the kermes in the morning, 
before the dew is off the ground; at which time the leaves and the prickles of 
the plants are less to be dreaded. Experienced persons will thus collect a 
couple of pounds’ weight per diem. Belon (Observations des Singularités, liv. i. 
p- 19.) has given considerable details respecting the gathering of the crops of 
kermes; and states that the price decreases considerably during the gather- 
ing, in consequence of the latest-collected kermes being lighter than those 
first obtained, owing to the young ones having escaped. The merchants who 
purchase the kermes immediately steep them in vinegar, and then expose 
them to the action of heat sufficient to destroy any remaining vitality in 
the young: this process considerably alters the colour of the insect, and 
