VOL. LVI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 321 



All these Mr. Baker lays before the r. s. to complete Dr. Wolfe's account of 

 this insect ; and as this plant is common in England, as well as the Potentilla 

 and Fragaria, at the roots of which these insects are likewise found, he is in 

 hopes, that such gentlemen, as have opportunity, will seek them in the months 

 of June, July, and August ; the time they seek for, and collect them, in the 

 above-mentioned countries. The curious will receive pleasure and information 

 from comparing the male fly of this Polish cochineal, with the male fly of the 

 cochineal of South America ; communicated some time ago by Mr. John Ellis, 

 and published in vol. lii, p. 66l, [Abridg. vol. xi. p. 674.] PI. 8. fig. 1, is the Polish 

 Cochineal male insect, just come out of the egg, of its natural size. The body and 

 head of this beautiful little fly have several teints of a brownish crimson : the 

 wings are white and transparent, except the darker parts in the plate, which are of 

 a lively crimson colour. Fig. 1. The same magnified. Fig. 3. The female in- 

 sect, just crept out of the egg, of the natural size. Its colour a brownish crim- 

 son. Fig. 4. The same magnified. Fig. 5. Polygonum minus iv C. Bauh. 

 or, Scleranthus perennis calycibus clausis, Linnaei. The root fibrous ; when old, 

 woody. The young stalks of a grey green ; in the 2d year, red. They have knots at 

 different intervals. Each knot has two sharp-pointed leafy narrow stipulae. The 

 stalks are dichotomous ; and near the umbella there is, at every bifurcation, a flower 

 twice as large as the others, having its seeds more ripe and perfect. The calyx 

 grows almost woody, and is five-pointed. The petala are small, oval-point«l, 

 white, in number 10 : the 5 stamina short : the antherae yellow : the pistilla, 2, 

 very short. The seeds egg-shaped, one or two strongly adhering to the calyx. 

 The whole plant, when old, has stalks 10 inches in length, procumbent by the 

 weight of the flowers, and making a sort of convex bush round about the root. 



XXI. Some further Account of the Jaculator Fish, mentioned in the Phil. Tram, 

 for 1764, [p. 110 of this abridged vol.] from Mr. Hommel, at Batavia, to- 

 gether with the Description of another Species, by Dr. Pallas, F. R. S. p. 186. 



Amsterdam, Feb. 15, 1766. 

 When the Jaculator fish intends to catch a fly or any other insect, which is 

 seen at a distance, it approaches very slowly and cautiously, and comes as much 

 as possible perpendicularly under the object : then the body being put in an ob- 

 lique situation, and the mouth and eyes being near the surface of the water, the 

 Jaculator stays a moment quite immoveable, having its eyes directly fixed on the 

 insect, and then begins to shoot, without ever showing its mouth above the sur- 

 fece of the water, out of which the single drop, shot at the object, seems to 

 rise. With the closest attention Mr. H. never could see any part of the mouth 

 out of water, though he has very often seen the Jaculator fish shoot a great 

 many drops one after another, without leaving its plac^ and fixed situation. No 



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