CHAP. CV.

coryi.a'cete. que'rcus.

1909

WM

mmk

cheap as the cochineal; and, therefore, only very small quantities of it arebrought to market. This species is not unfrequent in British collections,where, however, it is somewhat tender, and of very slow growth. It ispropagated from the acorns, which are received from the Continental nur-serymen ; and small plants, in pots, are from Is. 6 d. to 3s. 6 d. each.

The Kermes. The specific name of coccifera has been applied to this speciesin consequence of its affording nourishment to a species of Coccus, or scaleinsect (Coccus ilicis Lin. Syst. Nat., 2740., No. 6.); though the student of theSystema Natures will at once perceive the impropriety of the Linnaean applica-tion of these names, Coccus and Chernies, the latter being applied to anothertotally distinct genus of minute homopterous insects allied to the plant lice, towhich, from their saltatorial powers, Geoffroy gave the name of Psylla, withmuch greater propriety; employing, however, both Coccus and Chermes asgeneric names of insects belonging to the family Cdccidas. The insect inquestion is also known under itsArabian name, Chermes or Kermes;

Scharlachbeeren, Ger. ; Grein Schar-lakbessen, Dutch ; Grana Chermes,

Cremese, or Cocchi, Ital. ; GranaKermes, or Grana de la Coscoja,

Span.; and Alkermes, Persian ;and, previously to the discovery ofthe New World, was employed to avery great extent in dyeing, pro-ducing a very permanent and richblood-red colour. It will be seen,from the accompanying figure (_/%.

1793.), that this parasitic insect hasall the appearance of a berry orseed, affording not the slightest indi-cation of its insect nature; beingimmovably affixed in clusters to thebranches of the oak, upon which itsubsists, by introducing into thesubstance of the stem a long and delicate haustellum. It is only, however, atthe close of its existence that it assumes the form of a seed. Mr. M'Culloch,indeed, states that it is in the process of drying that this form is acquired; butthis is not correct, since, although the insect is provided with legs, and, when

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