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XXIV. Natural Hijlory of the InfcB which produces the Gum 
Lacca . By Mr. James Kerr, of Patna; communicated by 
Sir Jofeph Banks, P. R. S. 
Read May 24, 1781. 
COCCUS LACCA. 
Head and 
trunk. 
Tail. 
Feet. 
THE head and trunk form one uniform, oval, 
compreffed, red body, of the fhape and magni- 
tude of a very fmall loufe, confifting of twelve 
tranfverfe rings. The back is carinate ; the belly 
flat ; the antennas half the length of the body, 
filiform, truncated, and diverging, fending off 
two, often three, delicate, diverging hairs, longer 
than the antennae. The mouth and eyes could 
not be feen with the naked eye. 
The tail is a little white point, fending off two 
horizontal hairs as long as the body. 
It has three pair of limbs, half the length of 
the infedL 
I have often obferved the birth of thefe infedls, 
but never could fee any with wings ; nor could I 
find any diftinilion of fexes, nor obferve their 
connubial rites : nature and analogy feem to point 
out a deficiency in my obfervations, poffibly 
1 owing 
