24 Dr. John Davy's Observations on 



finement three portions of semifluid excrement, each similar, 

 composed chiefly of granules of about -^q^^-^j of an inch in dia- 

 meter, which, by the test of nitric acid, appeared to be of lithate 

 of ammonia. 



23. A large butterfly supplied with syrup, which it sucked up 

 greedily, voided a drop of fluid excrement of a light brownish 

 hue. This collected with care, after having been diluted with 

 water to increase its bulk, was allowed to evaporate spontaneously 

 on a glass support. Thus prepared, seen under the microscope, 

 it exhibited in a transparent medium some minute plates and fine 

 granules. A very little dilute nitric acid was added ; on its 

 evaporation stellaforra groups of crystals appeared, reminding of 

 nitrate of urea, and there was a urinous smell, not unlike that 

 from human urine with nitric acid. Heated carefully the purple 

 hue indicative of lithic acid appeared in specks fading from them 

 as centres. 



9A. A black beetle common in Barbados, about half an inch in 

 length, of impetuous flight, striking against objects, when it enters 

 a room at night, with a force, considering its size, almost incre- 

 dible, in confinement voided a large quantity of very light fawn- 

 colored excrement, in a semifluid state. It was composed of 

 spherical particles from ^oW ^^ Wos^ °^ ^" ^^^^^ '" diameter, as 

 seen under the microscope, without crystals or any other form of 

 matter. Tested, it was found to contain lithic acid, and, it may 

 be concluded, in combination, as lithate of ammonia, for it dis- 

 solved more readily in hot than in cold water, the hot solution in 

 cooling becoming slightly turbid, and the extract obtained on 

 evaporation, after filtration, acquiring when heated with nitric acid 

 the characteristic color due to lithic acid. 



25. A brown grasshopper, found amongst Guinea-grass, in con- 

 finem.ent, voided two kinds of excrement : one, it may be inferred, 

 faecal, in small cylindrical masses, almost black; the other urinary, 

 at least in part, of the same form, of a light fawn-color. These, 

 the latter, dissolved without effervescence in dilute nitric acid, 

 and acquired, when the solution was evaporated and subjected to 

 a regulated heat, the color denoting lithic acid. 



26. A field-cricket, in confinement, voided some excrement in 

 small black pellets, in which no lithic acid could be detected, and 

 which was probably altogether faecal. Bread was given, which it 

 ate freely. During the following twenty-four hours it voided 

 more excrement: some, like the preceding, black ; some in oval 

 pellets, smeared with a semifluid mntter, brown and with a 

 urinous odour. These, broken up and diluted with water, ex- 



