VOL. LXXI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 125 



In Hindostan, Pipul. Banyan tree. 2. Ficus Indica, Linnaei. In Hindostan, 

 Bhur. Banyan tree. 3. Plaso, Horti Malabarici. By the natives, Praso. 

 4. Rhamnus Jujuba, Linnaei. In Hindostanic, Beyr. 



The insects generally fix themselves so close together, and in such numbers, 

 that I imagine only I in 6 can have room to complete her cell : the others die, 

 and are eaten up by various insects. The extreme branches appear as if they 

 were covered with a red dust, and their sap is so much exhausted, that they 

 wither and produce no fruit, the leaves drop off, or turn to a dirty black, colour. 

 These insects are transplanted by birds : if they perch on these branches, they 

 must carry off a number of the insects on their feet to the next tree they rest 

 on. It is worth observing, that these fig trees when wounded drop a milky 

 juice, which instantly coagulates into a viscid ropy substance, which, hardened 

 in the open air, is similar to the cell of the coccus lacca. The natives boil this 

 milk with oils into a bird-lime, which will catch peacocks or the largest birds. 



A red medicinal gum is procured by incision from the plaso tree, so similar 

 to the gum lacca that it may readily be taken for the same substance. Hence it 

 is probable, that those insects have little trouble in animalizing the sap of these 

 trees in the formation of their cells. The gum lacca is rarely seen on the Rhamnus 

 Jujuba; and it is inferior to what is found on the other trees. The gum lacca 

 of this country is principally found on the uncultivated mountains on both sides 

 the Ganges, where nature has produced it in such abundance, that were the 

 consumption 10 times greater, the markets might be supplied by this minute 

 insect. The only trouble in procuring the lac is in breaking down the branches, 

 and carrying them to market. The present price in Dacca is about 12 shillings 

 the 100 pounds weight, though it is brought from the distant country of Assam. 

 The best lac is of a deep red colour. If it is pale, and pierced at top, the value 

 diminishes, because the insects have left their cells, and consequently they can 

 be of no use as a dye or colour, but probably they are better for varnishes. 



This insect and its cell have gone under the various names of Gum Lacca, Lack, 

 Loc Tree. In Bengal, La; and by the English it is distinguished into 4 kinds. 

 1st. Stick lac, which is the natural state from which all the others are formed. 

 2d. Seed lac is the cells separated from the sticks. 3d. Lump lac is seed lac 

 liquified by fire, and formed into cakes. 4th. Shell lac is the cells liquified, 

 strained, and formed into thin transparent laminae in the following manner. 

 Separate the cells from the branches, break them into small pieces, throw them 

 into a tub of water for one day, wash off the red water and dry the cells, and 

 with them fill a cylindrical tube of cotton cloth, 2 feet long, and 1 or 2 inches 

 in diameter; tie both ends, turn the bag above a charcoal fire; as the lac liquifies 

 twist the bag, and when a sufficient quantity has transuded the pores of the 

 cloth, lay it on a smooth junk of the plantain tree (Musa Paradisiaca, Linn.), 



