say, of what part of South America it isa native. Linnaus 
speaks of it as indigenous to Jamaica and the warmer parts 
of the New world; but Stoanz, who gives a very tolerable 
figure of it, says, that the plants he saw, in Mr. Wortey’s 
plantation, were brought from the main Continent of Ame- 
riea, by a Spanish priest, and affirmed to be the species on 
which grew the Cochineal. 
We know our present subject to be the true C. cochinillifer 
of Linnaus, by his references to various figures, especially 
to that of Ditienrus, in the Hortus Elthamensis above 
quoted ; and that author considers it may be the same as 
the Nocheznopalli or Nopelnochetzli, aguy in Hernanpez ; 
except that, in the latter plant, the flowers are spreading, 
whilst in our’s, the petals are connivent. He does not say 
where it is indigenous. In the Chelsea garden accordin 
to Ray, it was cultivated prior to 1688, and was receiv 
from Barbadoes. 
Ux1oa, not upon his own authority, as it appears, but on 
that of well informed travellers, states, that the Cochineal 
Cactus has no spines, and a fruit imbued with a deep-red 
pulp. This is partly contradicted by Ciavicero, who says, 
“in Misteca, where I was for five years, I always saw the 
insect upon prickly Nopals. M. de Raynax imagines, that 
the colour of the Cochineal is to be ascribed to the red fig 
on which it lives; but that author has been misinformed ; 
for neither does the Cochineal feed upon the fruit, but only 
upon the leaf, which is perfectly green ; nor does that 
species of Nopal bear red, but white figs.” It is true, Cra- 
vicERo adds, “ it may be reared upon the species with a red 
fig ; but that is not the proper plant of the Cochineal.” 
De Canpotte, in his beautiful work entitled “ Plantes 
Grasses,” has given, as the Cactus Coceinellifer, the C. Tuna 
of Linnzus, a plant totally distinct from the Linnean cochi- 
nilifer, and whose flower is of a different structure. 
uierry de Menonvi..E, who so courageously ponte a 
— 
. “This circumstance is thus related by Dr. Bancrort, in his valuable 
“ Researches on the Philosophy of Permanent Colours.” In the month of 
January, 1777, M. Taizrry de Menonviurs left Port au Prince, in St. Do- 
mingo, for the purpose of procuring some of the living Cochineal Insects in 
Mexico, and bringing them away to be afterwards propagated in the French 
West India Islands ; an enterprize, for the expence of which, four thousand 
livres had been allotted by the French Government. He proceeded, by the 
Havannah, to la Vera Cruz, and was there informed, that the finest Cochineal 
Insects were produced at Guaxaca, distant about seventy leagues, Peipeins 
