VOL. LXXXIV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 429 



The curious analogy between the manner in which this insect produces its wax, 

 and the mode in which it is produced by our bees, according to the late Mr. 

 Hunter's observation, and the singularity of the animal's producing honey as 

 well as wax, were sufficient reasons, in point of abstract curiosity, to make an 

 analysis very desirable ; besides that the probability of its becoming an object of 

 commerce seemed apparent : for it certainly can be provided at Madras at a much 

 less price than is given for wax, even in the cheapest markets. It must be 

 remembered that all the authors, who describe the true cochineal insect, tell us 

 that the females when nearly perfect are covered thickly with a white down, or 

 meal, which protects them from the sun and rain, and the attacks of certain 

 insects their enemies. It is probable that this substance is of the same nature as 

 the pe-la, and that the secretion of wax in more or less quantity is common to 

 the genus of coccus. It is observable further, that the insect which produces 

 lac, a substance resembling wax, provides itself also with a sweet fluid resembling 

 honey. Hence a striking analogy among these 3 animals is observable; and it 

 is far from improbable that future naturalists may discover them to be species of 

 the same genus; and find the means of making the beautiful red colour pro- 

 duced by the lac insect as useful in dying as that of the true cochineal. 



2. Sensible, and so?iie other properties of while lac. — A piece of white lac, 

 which weighs from 3 to 15grs., is probably produced by each insect. These 

 pieces are of a grey colour, opaque, rough, and roundish ; of about the size of 

 a pea, but with a flat side, by which they adhere to the bark. In this flat side 

 there is a fissure which contains a little black matter, the exuviae of the insect. 

 White lac, in its dry state, has a saltish and bitterish taste, and in the mouth is 

 soft and tough. It appears however from Mr. Anderson's letter, that the taste 

 of this substance recently produced is " delicious ;" so that it is difficult to pre- 

 vent the children and other persons employed to gather it from eating it. 



On pressing a piece of this substance between the fingers, a watery liquid 

 oozes out, wh'ch has a slight salt taste ; and we are told that the recently 

 gathered lac is replete with juice. Though the roundish pieces of this substance 

 yield to pressure between the fingers, they may be broken, and then appear to 

 be perfectly white within, and of a uniform smooth texture. White lac has no 

 smell, unless it be pressed or rubbed till it is soft, and then it emits a peculiar 

 odour. The lac which had been strained through muslin was of a brown colour 

 throughout its whole substance ; was brittle, hard, and had a bitterish taste, 

 without any saltness, for its watery liquid had been separated by melting. 



The pieces of lac gathered from the tree are as light as wax, or lighter ; but 

 after being melted and purified by straining, it sinks in water, and therefore is 

 specifically heavier than bees-wax generally is. 



White lac melts in water of the temperature of 145° of Fahrenheit's thermo- 



