OH ANIMAL COTTON, OR THE INSECT FLY-CARRIER. 271 



I call it cotton becaufe it is idio-ele&ric and is pervious to the conducts elefiri- 

 dearie fluid. cityi 



I add to this denomination the epithet animal, in contra- 

 diftinction to common cotton, which may henceforth be called 

 Vegetable cotton, fo that the two fpecies may be diftinguifhed 

 from each other by their names, as they are by their origin, 

 although they are very nearly related to each other in their 

 effects. 



It is to be obferved, that what might be called cob-iveb in ths whole U 

 the covering of the fly-carrier, or fmall flocks of filk which u e u ' 

 are probably intended to flielter the animal from the rain, is 

 far fuperior to what is called ferrit before, and fleet filk after 

 the preparation of the finer filk. There is no refufe, no infe* 

 rior quality in animal-cotton, Every thing in it is as fine and 

 beautiful as can be imagined. 



It is poffible, if we may form a judgment by analogy, that 

 medicine, which has extracted from filk what is called EngliJJi 

 drops, a remedy to which the greateft efficacy is attributed, 

 may derive a fimilar advantage, perhaps for the cure of other 

 diforders, from an extract of the animal cotton, which might 

 be called the St. Domingo drops. 



In fliort there is no need here of any of the precautions 

 which the filk-worm requires. The robe which covers the 

 fly-carrier, is worked every where, and every where perfectly 

 well. 



I (hall only obferve that as the rain fpeedily deftroys the Caution againft 

 caflada-worm, the inftant might be feized on when the ich- raln * 

 neumon fly has depofited her eggs, to put the fly-carrier under 

 fhelter. His natural food might be procured for him, as is 

 done with the fi lk-worm. 



The ichneumon fly never fails thus to come and depofite 

 her eggs. I have never feen a fly-carrier that was not covered 

 with the robe or (hell that I have fpoken of. I have continued 

 this obfervation for many years, and the crop was fo abundant, 

 that I alone, could collect' in lefs than two hours, the quantity 

 of one hundred pints, French meafure. 



I repeat it, animal cotton is attended with none of the dif- Animal cotton 

 faculties which occur in the preparation of vegetable cotton. J ud §^ d t0 b * 

 It is fo pure, that as foon as the ichneumons have left it, which to the vegetable, 

 happens eight or ten days after their reclufion, it may be 

 carded and fpun. 



If 



