General Meeting, Feb. 1st, 1854. cL 



similar to the Kaddepas sent to me for examination by Mr. 

 Ondaatje, which appears to be the result of the destruction 

 of the Lac insect by some Ichneumon fly. 



There are several other varieties of this class of insects to 

 be found in Ceylon, some of which are as conspicuous for 

 their extreme beauty, as others are for their strange forms ; 

 but I shall now conclude, hoping that on another occasion I 

 may have the opportunity of describing a few more of this 

 very interesting class of animals. 



After this paper was read, much discussion ensued, Mr. 

 De Alwis stated that it was well known to the Singhalese 

 generally that the Red Ant was a good destroyer of the Bug, 

 and was constantly employed by them for that purpose ; he 

 also stated in corroboration, that as far back as 1848, he had 

 a delicate plant in his garden which was much injured by 

 Caterpillars, and tried various modes of getting rid of them 

 by ashes, washing, &c, but all to no purpose ; at length a 

 Singhalese man counselled him to put a few nests of Red 

 Ants in the tree, which he did, and they soon destroyed the 

 Caterpillars. 



The Chairman (Mr. Armitage) mentioned that while 

 giving to Dr. Lamprey all credit due to the priority of dis- 

 covery as to the mode of destruction of the Bug by the Red 

 Ant, he thought that Mr. Young was also entitled to the 

 merit of originality. It often happened that when an import- 

 ant discovery was made, other minds were on the same track, 

 and were thus entitled to high credit^ though the chief credit 

 devolved on the one who was first in the path. 



Consequent on Mr. Young's advertisement, he, Mr. A. 

 himself had been making some experiments with a view to 

 the destruction of the Bug, on an orange tree in his garden, 

 and was about to apply some Coal Tar to the stem of the tree, 

 when he was told by his Appoo that it was unnecessary, as 

 the Red Ants were already destroying the Bug ; he was 

 accordingly watching the process when publicity was given 



