BLISTERING BEETLES of India, Pan-man, CHIN., consist of several species of Mylabris. About 180 lbs. forwarded by Dr. Birdwood to test the market value in England, were sold there at 5s. 8d. per lb. Several kinds of beetles, when applied to the skin, cause great irritation, inflammation, and blistering. These consequences are occasioned by an acrid principle called Cantharidin contained in these insects. The ancients chiefly employed two species of Mylabris, one of which, the Mylabris cichorei (vern. Telini, HIND.), has been used for ages, and is so at present by the European and Native physicians of India and China. The Can tharis vesicatoria, or Spanish blistering fly, is the species officinal in the British Pharmacopeeia. Its colour is bright shining green or bluish, length about Nis of an inch, breadth ith to id of an inch. It occurs in the south of.Europe gener ally, especially in Italy and Spain, and is found occasionally in England. The blistering flies of India arc chiefly the Mylabris or Meloe cichorei, the Cantharis gigas, and the Cantharis violacea. The Mylabris cichorei is common in the neigh bourhood of Dacca, in the Hyderabad country. in Kurnool, and numerous other localities. The insect is about an inch long and yl broad ; the elytra or wing coverts are marked with six cross stripes of deep blue and russet brown. The Buprestis of ancient writers is met with in the bazars tinder the name of the golden fly (sona inukbi). The Cantharis violacea is often mixed
with specimens of Melon in the bazars. The Telioi fly, if procured before the mites have com menced its destruction, yields on an average one third more of cantharidin than the Spanish fly of the European shops. The blue fly is of uncertain strength ; the Buprestis, in all the specimens ob tained, was quite inert. A species, called Melee trianthema, from its being usually found on the Triantheina decandra (Biscopra, HIND.), was described by Dr. Fleming. A tincture, acetous plaster, and ointment of the Melee chichorii are given in the Bengal Pharmacopoeia. Some pre judice exists against the article, on account of its alleged excessive severity of action, owing to the presence of a greater quantity of cantharidin than that contained in the common fly. Diluting the tincture, and adding to the proportion of lard and wax in the plaster and ointment, perfectly assimi late the action of the indigenous and the imported insects. At the Madras Exhibition of 1855, speci mens of Mylabris pustulate. and M. punctuin were exhibited by M. Callas of Pondicherry. Both insects are found in large quantities at certain seasons all over Southern ; Dr. Minter in Tr. As. See. v. p. 216; 3/adras Exhibi tion. See Ca.ntharides; Insects.