FEB.] THE HOT-HOUSE, 17 Y 



consequence of this, the skin of the Ibelly becomes less distended, 

 which enables the insect to afford a large covering to the eggs already 

 excluded. When the eggs are all discharged, the skin of the belly 

 retreats close to the back of the parent insect, which then appears 

 like a mere scale. If the insect in this state be raised with the point 

 of a needle from the leaf, a number of eggs may be perceived under 

 it, of a pale red color, and very transparent, not unlike the roe (or 

 eggs) of fishes ; but with this difference, that they are not connected 

 by a membrane, but loosely packed together. The mother, with a 

 parent care, not only thus broods over her eggs till they are hatched, 

 but continues to protect her young for a considerable time after, and 

 either dies during the time she is performing this last office for them, 

 or very soon after. 



The males of both the above species are much less than the females, 

 and appear very different from them ; the latter, except just in their 

 infant state, never assuming any other form than that of a scale, as 

 already described ; whereas the males of both kinds, in their last 

 state, become flies; but neither of them can probably do any injury 

 to the pine plants whilst they are in that form ; for the flies of none 

 of the coccus kind have been found, on the strictest examination by 

 the most able naturalists, to have any organ by which they can take 

 in nourishment. In that state, therefore, they can probably continue 

 but a short time, the whole business of their lives being then des- 

 tined to the impregnation of the females. 



I have hitherto only taken particular notice of the round scale, or 

 female insect, which is the most conspicuous, being far larger than 

 the male. But a careful observer will readily perceive, where these 

 scales are numerous, another set of smaller ones intermixed with 

 them, which, if he be unacquainted with the natural history of these 

 insects, he will hardly suspect to belong to the same animal, as they 

 put on so different an appearance. They are semitubular, and their 

 length scarcely exceeds the diameter of one of the small round scales, 

 and their breadth is not more than a third or fourth part of their 

 length. These, however, contain the males in one of their last 

 stages, under which they assume the form of nymphs, and become 

 flies. In order to be satisfied of this, a person need only break open, 

 with the point of a needle, a few of these scales, when they are ar- 

 rived at maturity, and he will perceive contained within each of them 

 a very beautiful, but small fly, with all the characters of the flies of 

 the coccus kind. 



The length of this fly, from the head to the tail, exclusive of the 

 wings, and those long hairs which are so characteristic of the flies 

 of this kind, is about the thirtieth part of an inch : and the length, 

 including the wings when folded one over the other, exclusive of the 

 hairs before mentioned, is not more than the eighteenth part of an 

 inch. 



^The insects of this last mentioned species are of a very pernicious 

 nature. When the pines are infested with them, there will be much 

 trouble and great expense in cleansing them, even to keep the insects 

 under ; and notwithstanding the greatest care, the plants will suffer 

 much, and in time grow very unsightly; their leaves will appear 

 12 



