54 INSECTA. 
nish to the art of dyeing. Further researches on these Insects might 
eventuate in the discovery of others which would prove of similar 
utility. 
Geoffroy divides the Gallinsecta into two genera, Chermes and 
Coccus. Reaumur designates the latter by the name of Progall-In- 
secte. oi: I 
C. adonidum, L. Body almost rose-coloured and covered 
with a white farinaceous dust; wings and caudal setz of the tail 
white; sides of the female furnished with appendages, the two 
last of which are the longest and form a sort of tail. She en- 
velopes her ova with a white and cottony substance that serves 
for a nest. Naturalized in our green-houses where it does much 
injury. 
C. cacti, L.; Thier de Menouv., De la Cult. du Nop., et dela 
Cochen. Female of a deep brown, covered with white dust, flat 
beneath, convex above and bordered; the annuli are tolerably 
distinct, but become obliterated at the epoch of production. 
The male is of a deep red, with white wings. 
This Insect is cultivated at Mexico, on a species of Opuntia, 
and is distinguished by the name of Mesteque, fine cochineal, 
from another very analogous, but smaller and more cottony, or 
the Sylvestre. It is celebrated for the crimson dye it furnishes, 
which, by being combined with the solution of tin in nitro-mu- 
riatic acid, produces a scarlet. It is also from this Insect that 
we obtain carmine. It is one of the richest productions of 
Mexico(1). 
C. polonicus, L.; Breyn., E, iv, c, 17313 Frisch, Insect., II, 
5, p- 6. Female, russet-brown, resembling a granule, and at- 
tached to the roots of the Scleranthus perennis, and some other. 
plants. Previous to the introduction of cochineal, this Insect 
constituted an important object of commerce. The colour it 
produces is of the same tint, and almost as beautiful as that of 
the preceding species. It is still employed in Germany and 
Russia, . 
C. ilicis, L.; Reaum., Insect., IV, v. The female, both in 
size and shape, like a pea. It is of a dark violet or prune-co- 
lour, covered with white dust. Found ona species of Oak in 
Provence, Languedoc, and southern parts of Europe. It is used 
in dyeing crimson, particularly in the Levant and Barbary. Scar- 
let was also obtained from it previous to the general introduc- 
(1) See Humboldt’s Travels. 
