LAC AND COCHINEAL INSECTS. 



745 



In trade, the Coccidee are familiar as being the producers of 

 a sort of wax (which is more used in China than in England), 

 of the useful substance called "lac," and, above all, of the in- 

 valuable "cochineal" dye. The first of these species is shown 

 in the illustration. The male is very small, winged, and flies 

 freely in search of a mate, whereas the female is fixed to one 

 spot, dies there, and her withered body becomes the shelter of 

 her young. 



From the body of the female is exuded a wonderful amount 

 of a white secretion, which, when collected, melted down, and 

 strained, has many of the properties of wax, and is generally 

 called by that name. In the British Museum there are many 

 specimens of the insect, together with a lump of the wax, which 

 looks almost exactly like spermaceti. There are also specimens 

 of other wax-making Coccidge, mostly belonging to the genus 

 Ceroplastes, of the Lac Insects, and the Cochineal. 



The last of the Homoptera which can be described in this 



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Fig. 488.— Callipavipus Westwoodii. 

 (Pale brown ; white train.) 



work is an example of the singular genus Callipappus, a male 

 of which is here shown. 



As to the female, she is simply hideous. She is a big, black, 



