COLOUR-PRODUCING INSECTS. 53 



neal insect renders interesting the discovery lately 

 made of two new species of cochineal, both natives 

 of Australia, which have not yet been described by 

 entomologists. They were discovered by Mr. Child. 

 One of them lives upon a species of Mimosa, the 

 other on a species of Eucalyptus. They produce 

 four or five generations during the year. A short 

 time ago M. Gruerin Menneville presented to the 

 Paris Academy a new indigenous cochineal which 

 was found living upon some weeds of our own 

 climate, and from which a magnificent scarlet dye 

 can be obtained. This new insect has been de- 

 nominated Coccus fabce, as it may be successfully 

 reared upon the bean, on the stalks of which 

 vegetable it appears to have been originally 

 discovered. It was afterwards found upon the 

 sainfoin. 



Coccus fabce was discovered by M. Guerin Menne- 

 ville in the South of France. The discovery terrified 

 him not a little, for should Coccus fabce multiply under 

 favourable circumstances as rapidly as these kind of 

 insects usually do, it would become a disastrous 

 source of blight to beans and sainfoin, and possibly 

 to other plants. He then thought of turning his 

 discovery to account, and proclaimed his new insect 

 an extremely useful one, that by proper cultivation 

 might one day replace the exotic cochineal. M. 

 Chevreul, who examined the colouring matter it 



