510 Journal of the Asiatie Society of Bengal. [November, 1910. 



Baden Powell catalogues another animal under the name 

 of Mahi rubian ka kism, which comes from the sea coast. He 

 says, " The sample is not a shrimp as the first is, the dried 

 pieces having a grey colour. 



ARACHXIDA. 



Trombidi 



Vern. .—Birhoti, bhir buti, birbavati, Hind. ; Indrabovum, 

 tumble puchi, Tarn. ; Kirmie aroosl, Arab.; Endra bona crimie, 

 bans. The Scarlet Mite or Rains * Insect. 



This mite has been referred to Bucella carniola (Piatt's 



Mutella 



Mutella 



dentalis ^Ainslie), and to species of Tetranychus and Aranea. 

 These insects are of a bright scarlet colour, velvety in appear- 

 ance. They are found nearly all over India and Burma where 

 the soil is sandy, and are very common at the commencement 

 ot the rainy season in July. They are dried and kept for sale 

 in the bazars. The mite and the expressed oil have a great 

 reputation among Muhammadans as an aphrodisiac. The oil 

 is also used as an external application for various complaints. In 



cons 



_ In Lahore 



according to Dr. Honigberger the mites are used against snake 

 bites and in colic of horses. 



Dr. E. G. Hill of Allahabad in 1905 examined the oil 

 expressed from the insects and communicated the results to 

 this Society. He found the principal constituents to be my- 

 risto-diolem, with small quantities of stearin, cholesterol, 

 colouring matter and butyric acid. It does not possess the 

 properties of a counter-irritant which had been ascribed to it 

 by older writers. (Journ. As. Soc. Beng.. 1905 74. ) 



INSECTA. 



Hemiptera. 

 Coccus cacti, Linn. . . . . The Cochineal Insect. 



Vern. :—Kirmaj, kirmdana, Hind. ; Karmiz, Per. Cochi 

 neal. 



The female insect dried. Used as a colouring agent and 

 as an adjunct to expectorant mixtures. The Hakims con- 

 sider it destructive to the generative faculty. The supply 

 comes from Bombay ; that used in Afghanistan is said to come 

 from Persia and Bokhara. 



Tachardia lacca, Kerr. . . . . The Lac Insect. 



* 4.^ e ^ lac is officinal afc Lahore and is used in enlargement 

 ot the liver, dropsy, ulcers and wounds. 



