c. 



Appendix : — Proceedin gs of 



chemical process, namely dissolving the crude Lac in an 

 alkaline solution, separating the impurities by filtration, and 

 afterwards precipitating the Shellac with an acid, and then 

 evaporating the solution so as to obtain the dye. I have thus 

 succeeded in obtaining Shellac and Lac dye; the former, a 

 sample of which I now lay before the Society, though of a 

 dark colour is not inferior to the Shellac of commerce; and 

 the latter, though inferior to carmine, the product of the 

 Cochineal insect, might be made a useful purple dye. 



I have also received a sample of Lac from the Chilaw 

 district, differing from the former in many particulars, and I 

 conceive it to be a " new species." It is almost transparent, in 

 single rounded and isolated cells, and yields a light coloured 

 Shellac, but no dye ; which, however, may be owing to the 

 escape of the ova. 



I have also procured a specimen differing from the two 

 former ones, which I procured at the Horticultural Exhibition 

 held the other day at Colombo ; it is not so rounded in out- 

 ward form, though existing in separate cells, and it contains 

 a yellowish mass of a rich orange colour, which is not affected 

 by Sulphuric acid, and which might be prepared in a manner 

 similar to the purple dye. On examining this yellowish mass 

 under the microscope, it appeared to consist exclusively of ova, 

 and we now have the opportunity of seeing " the first appear- 

 ance of the young Lacs in public." You observe a number 

 of very minute creeping insects which appear all over the 

 stick, bearing a close resemblance to the Cochineal insect in 

 their outward form: thus shewing that it would not be a 

 difficult matter to propagate the species; the tree upon which 

 they are found grows freely in the Sina Korle, it is called 

 Kapitia by the Singhalese. 



I have observed on the same branch on which I found this 

 Lac, a number of minute spots of a stellate character, having 

 six rays; this appears to be the commencement of the cell of 

 the future insect. 



I also observed a quantity of indurated black substance 



