THE ANNALS 



AND 



MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



[THIRD SERIES.] 



" perlitora sparglte museum, 



Naiades, et circilm vitreos considite fontes : 

 Pollice virgineo teneros Mc carpite flores : 

 Floribus et pictum, divse, replete canistrum. 

 At vos, o Nymphae Craterides, ite sub undas ; 

 Ite, recurvato variata corallia trunco 

 Vellite muscosis e rupibus, et mihi conchas 

 Ferte, Ueae pelagi, et pingui conchylia succo." 



N.Parthenii Giannettasii Eel. I 



No. 37. JANUARY 1861, 



I. — On the Natural History of the Lac-Insect (Coccus lacca). 

 By H. J. Carter, Esq., F.R.S. 



[Plate I. B. figs. 1 to 14.] 



Having had an opportunity of examining the Lac-insect just 

 previous to the evolution of its young, and of watching the latter 

 from this period up to the time at which they become incarce- 

 rated in the resinous substance which they secrete around them- 

 selves, known in commerce by the name of " lac," and finding 

 that a description of the changes which the insect undergoes still 

 remains unpublished, so far as I am aware, while that which 

 has been stated on the subject is more or less incorrect, I am 

 not without hope that the following observations may prove both 

 new and acceptable. 



Thus much is known : — that the substance called " lac " con- 

 sists of a resinous incrustation partly encircling or scattered 

 over the small branches of several trees and shrubs of different 

 kinds in India ; that the incrustation is cellular, and that each 

 cell indicates the position of one of the insects which secreted it ; 

 that the insect contains a red colouring matter called " lac-dye," 

 which is also an article of commerce, and is allied to cochineal ; 

 and that, at a certain period of the year, vast numbers of young 

 animals leave these cells and, spreading themselves over the 



Ann. i^ Mag. N. Hist. Ser.3. Volv'xi. 1 



