612 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1810. 



troublesome nor in such numbers, 

 as are found generally in Eu- 

 rope during summer ; there are 

 some luminous ones, as the glow- 

 fly. The axayacatl is a marshy 

 fly of the Mexican lake, the eggs 

 of which, being deposited in im- 

 mense quantities upon the rushes 

 and corn-flags of the lake, form 

 large masses, which are taken up 

 by fishermen, and carried to mar- 

 ket for sale, for the purposes of 

 fishing. 



Gnats abound in the maritime 

 parts, and in all places where 

 heat, standing water, and shrubs 

 encourage their propagation. They 

 are in immense numbers in the 

 lake of Chalco ; but the capital, 

 although near to that lake, is en- 

 tirely free of that great nui- 

 sance.Cucarachas,orcock-roaches, 

 are in immense quantities ; and 

 also bugs, which the cucarachas 

 eat up, and totally destroy. 



The butterflies of Mexico are 

 much more numerous, and of 

 greater variety than in Europe. 

 It is impossible to give an idea of 

 their variety and beauty, and the 

 finest pencil is unable to imitate 

 theexquisitecolouringand design, 

 which the almighty Author of na- 

 ture has displayed in the embel- 

 lishment of their wings. 



Locusts are at times numerous 

 beyond conception ; sometimes 

 darkening the air like thick clouds, 

 they fall upon the sea-coast, and 

 lay waste all the vegetation of the 

 country. 



Among the land insects, there 

 are worms of several kinds, scor- 

 pions, scoiopcndrae, spiders, ants, 

 niguas, chegoes, or jiggers, and 

 the famous and celebrated cochi- 

 neal insect of Mexico. 



Of vvorraSj some are useful, and 



some are pernicious. The Ilea- 

 culin, or burning worm, has the 

 same qualities with the cantha- 

 rides ; its head is red, the breast 

 green, and the rest of the body is 

 of a tawny colour. The temahu- 

 ani is a worm covered with yellow 

 venomous prickles. The temictli 

 resembles the silk-worm, both in 

 its operations and in its metamor- 

 phoses. Thesilk-wormwasbrought I 

 from Europe, and propagated with ■ 

 success, till the court of Spain dis- 

 couraged it, for fear the Mexicans 

 should make silk goods, to supply 

 Mexico themselves, and super- 

 sede the silk goods brought from 

 Old Spain. Scolopendras are 

 sometimes seen in the temperate 

 parts of Mexico, but more fre- 

 quently in the warm and moist 

 parts, some as large as two feet in 

 length, and two inches thick. 

 Scorpions are common through 

 the whole of Mexico, but in the 

 cold and temperate parts they are 

 not numerous, nor very hurtful ; 

 they abound in the hot parts, or 

 where the air is very dry, although 

 the heat is but moderate, and 

 their poison is so active as to kill 

 children, and occasion terrible 

 pains to adults ; their sting is the 

 most dangerous in the hours of 

 the day when the sun gives most 

 heat. 



Of spiders, the tarantula is a 

 very large one, the back and legs 

 of which are covered with a fine 

 soft blackish down, like that upon 

 3'oung chickens : it is peculiar to 

 hot countries, i? found in houses 

 as well as in fields, and is sup- 

 posed to be poisonous. The ca- 

 sampulga, is a small spider of the 

 size of a chick pea, with short 

 legs and a red belly; it is venom- 

 ous and common in Chiapa. The 



