163 THE HOT-HOUSE. [Feb. 



raised with the point of a needle from the leaf, a number of eggs 

 may be perceived under it, of a pale red colour, and very transpa- 

 rent, 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 jlies 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 destined 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 semi- 

 tubular, 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 arrived at maturity, and he will perceive con- 

 tained 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 perni- 

 cious 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 yellow and sickly, and generally a great number of yellow 

 transparent spots may be seen all over them. 



On the least neglect in destroying them, they will increase innu- 

 merably, and so beset the lower parts of the leaves next the stem of 

 the plant (where they are most numerous) with scales, as nearly 



