421' Miscellaneous. 



very apt to slip oA'er them. To see them i7i situ is rarely possible ; 

 at least I should think so from the fact of its being only on fallen 

 trunks of trees (and on the under side of these) that we found the 

 particular fungus they frequent. Of the dozen specimens we fell in 

 with, none are of large size, the largest being about 3 inches in length. 

 Great injury is being done to the nutmeg-trees here (Penang) by a 

 species of Monohammus, the larva of which may be taken by scores 

 when the trees affected are cut down. I have the beetle, larva, and 

 pupa." 



A New Canadian Bye. 

 Prof. Lawson exhibited specimens of a new dye of great richness, 

 prepared in the laboratory of Queen's College, Kingston (Canada), 

 from an insect, a species of Coccus, found for the first time last 

 summer on a tree of the common Black Spruce {Abies nigra, Poir.), 

 in the neighbourhood of Kingston. This new dye closely resembles 

 true cochineal, a most expensive colouring matter, capable of being 

 produced in warm countries only, and which is used to give a fine 

 and permanent dye, in red, crimson, and scarlets, to wool and silk. 

 Unlike cochineal, the new dye discovered at Kingston is a native 

 Canadian product, and capable of being produced in temperate 

 countries. Having been but recently observed, a sufiicient quantity 

 has not yet been obtained for a complete series of experiments as to 

 its nature and uses ; but the habits of the insect, as well as the pro- 

 perties of the dye, seem to indicate that it may become of practical 

 importance. In colour it closely resembles ordinary cochineal, having 

 rather more the scarlet hue of the flowers of Adonis autumnalis ; and 

 no doubt other shades will be obtained. The true Mexican cochineal 

 is now being cultivated in Teneriffe and other vine-growing countries 

 of Europe and Africa with such success as to displace the culture of 

 the grape-vine ; yet the Directors of the East India Company offered 

 in vain s62000 for its introduction into India. — Proceedings of the 

 Botanical Society of Canada, Feb. 15, 1861. 



On the Development o/Doliolum. 

 By MM. Keferstein and Ehlers. 

 According to the authors, the polymorphism of the Doliola is 

 effected in the following manner : — The ova of one generation. A, 

 produce individuals furnished during their youth with a tail similar 

 to that of the larvae of the Ascidia. They are asexual, and bear a 

 large blastogene on the back. This is the generation B ; it possesses 

 a rosette-hke organ on its pericardium. In its blastogene is formed 

 the generation C, which is also asexual. This consists of two kinds of 

 individuals. Some, C, resembhng the generation A, have a ventral 

 blastogene, in which sexual individuals, closing the cycle, are formed ; 

 they are identical with the generation A. The others, C", are indivi- 

 duals of singular form ; they have been described by Gcgenbaur. 

 They have neither sexual organs nor blastogene, and it is not known 

 whether they are capable of reproduction. — Nachr. Gott. No. 1 9, 

 1860; Bibl. Univ. 1861 ; Bull. Sci. p. 2/3. 



