( 214. ) 



iviiaid bciiio: iicverthclels had to the different i"ues of the currants, 

 and the Cochineal. Laftly, when I divided the membranes or feeds 

 of which Cochineal appeared to confift, into as thin portions or par- 

 ticles as I was able, thole thin particles, did not, as 1 may fay, exhi- 

 l)ii any particular colour. 



The preceding obfervations I communicated by letter to Mr. 

 IBoyle, from wlium I received an anfwer, to the following efte6l: 

 that he had under flood from a C/overnor of Jamaica, that Cochineal 

 was produced from the fruit of tlie fig-tree, when in a flate of decay, 

 at which time, there proceeded from thence, certain maggots or au- 

 relias, which changed into flies ; that thefe flics fettling on the trees 

 were tliere killed by making fires under the trees, the fmoke of 

 which caufed tfiem to fall down ; after whicli, tliey were flripped of 

 tlieir heads, the fore parts of their bodies, and their wings, and the 

 remainder preferved for ufe, fo that Cochineal was properly, and in 

 trutii, the hinder part, or tail of a fly, and confequently, that my ob- 

 i'er\ations were fo far correcl:, that the fubltances I had feen were 

 really eggs, fuch as are found in the hinder part of the hlk-worm's 

 moth. 



To this I replied, tliat, in my preceding obfervations, it was im- 

 pofhble for me to judge, that Cochineal was an animal fubftance, 

 becaufe there was notliing to be feen in it, that relembled an animal- 

 cule, and that I had concluded, if it had been an animal, it would 

 have been devoured by thofe minute animalcules, called mites ; and 

 I added, that in confequencc of the information communicated by tfie 

 Hon. Pvjr. Boyle, in his letter, I had repeated my obfervations, the 

 refult of which as 1 communicated them to him, is as follows. 



On tliis renewed invelligation of the f "ubjedl, I was fully convinced, 

 that every fn^.gle grain of .Cochineal, was part of an animalcule, from 

 which, not only the head, the fore part of the body, and the wings, 

 had been broken oft", but tliat alfo the legs, and that part of tiie body 



