260 HOMES WITHOUT HAND8. 
ceeded in discovering one of the beetles still enclosed in its case^ all the 
other cases being empty. This insect, with its nidus, I submitted to Mr. 
Smith, of the British Museum, for identification, and he has declared it 
to be the species known as Larinus ursus of Fabricius. It may now, 
therefore, be affirmed with confidence that the sweetish cases, or " sugar " 
of the Calotropis is the nidus of a small beetle known in Arabic as 
Gultigal (which, being interpreted, appears to mean " flower-nest "), and 
to entomologists as Larinus ursus. It is very much like the insect that 
produces the Trehala, as also is its nidus (see fig. 2) ; although I am not 
prepared to affirm that both are in reality the same species, under 
different names, but should rather be disposed to regard them as 
distinct. 
Poontet. — Whilst upon the subject of " Insect-homes," I cannot re- 
sist adverting to the substance, which is found in Burmah, and called 
Pwai-ngnet or Poonyet. It is a blackish resLn, channelled with little 
chambers or cells, by some species of Dammar-bee. and is found in holes 
in the ground, and in hollow trees. This resin, or wax, is employed by 
the Burmese .for caulking boats, and is constantly on sale in the 
bazaars. The resin which I have seen under this name is slightly fra- 
grant, and apparently identical with that of Canarium stric turn, the honey- 
combed structure alone excepted. The latter resin is common in Tra- 
vancore, in Southern India, and Mr.. J. Brown, of Trevandrum, says that 
it exudes from cuts in the trunk of the tree, and seems to be a great 
favourite of several species of insect, especially of one resembling a bee, 
called by the Hillmen Kulliadq, which live in pairs in holes in theground . 
It is singular that the same tree is common in Malacca, where it yields 
a black resin, and there also is found a honey-combed resin, which the 
natives call " Dammar "Klotee," and which is said to resemble the Pwai- 
ngyet, although the cells are larger, and the resin blacker and harder. 
This substance I do not remember to have seen. Dr. Mason, of Rangoon, 
states that he forwarded some specimens of the insect which produces 
the Burmese Pwai-ngyet, to Mr. F. Smith, and that he identified them 
with Trigone Lceviceps, which had been first received from Signapore. 
The conclusion, therefore, at which I have arrived, is to the effect that 
the " honey-combed resin," of Pegu and Burmah is the natural resin 
which exudes from the bark of the Black Dammar tree (Canarium stric- 
tum), channelled and perforated by the insect known in southern India 
as Kulliada, and which is also found at Singapore, as well as in Pegu and 
Burmah, and recognised by entomologists as Trigona Lmviceps, but 
whether the resin is perforated in its soft state, soon after it issues from 
the tree, or, if after it becomes hard, how the feat is accomplished is 
more than I am at present able to affirm. Perhaps some correspondent 
who resides near one of the localities indicated will institute inquiries, 
render our information more complete respecting the economy of the 
Dammar Bee. — M. C. Cooke in * Science Gossip.' 
