DIRECT BENEFITS DERIVED FROM INSECTS. 323 



Some other insects besides the Cocci afford dyes. Reau- 

 mur tells us, that in the Levant, Persia, and China, they 

 use the galls of a particular species of Aphis for dyeing 

 silk crimson, which he thinks might lead us to try expe- 

 riments with those of our own country*. That dyes 

 might be thus obtained seems probable from an obser- 

 vation of Linne's, in his Lapland Tour, upon the galls 

 produced by Aphis Pini on the extremities of the leaves 

 of the spruce-fir, which, he informs us, when arrived at 

 maturity burst asunder, and discharge an orange-co- 

 loured powder which stains the clothes 1 ' ; and Mr. Shep- 

 pard confirms this observation, the galls of this Aphis 

 abounding upon fir-trees in his garden. In fact, we are 

 told that Terminalia citrina, a tree common in India, 

 yields a species of galls, the product of an insect, which 

 are sold in every market, being one of the most useful 

 dyeing drugs known to the natives, who dye their best 

 and most durable yellow with them c . A species of mite 

 {TrombidiuM tinctorium — Acarus, L.), a native of Guinea 

 and Surinam, is also employed as a dye ; and it would 

 be worth while to try whether our T. Jwlosericeum, so 

 remarkable for the dazzling brilliancy of its crimson and 

 the beautiful velvet texture of its down, which seems 

 nearly related to T. tinctorium, would not also afford a 

 valuable tincture. It is not likely, perhaps, that many 

 better and cheaper dyes than we now possess can be ob- 

 tained from insects ; but Reaumur has suggested that 

 water-colours of beautiful tints, not otherwise easily ob- 

 tainable, might be procured from the excrements of the 



1 Reaum. iii. Preface, xxxi. b Lack. Lapp. i. 258. 



c Trans, of the Soc. of Arts, xxiii. 411, 



y 2 



