Ohservations on some Insects lit tie hmr>u Cl 



The following account is to be found in Uiloa's Voyajre 

 to South America * : — " In the valleys of Popayan, in South 

 America, there are found insects which are veiy rcniarkaljlc 

 on account of the poisonous juices contained in tlieir bodic.';. 

 Among these there is one called cotja or cci/ba, of a fierv 

 red colour, and not larger than a conmion bug. It is gene- 

 rally found under stones, and in the fields between the"ii-rass 

 and other plants. When this insect is bruised on the skin. 

 of any animal its pernicious juice penetrates into the pores, 

 becomes mixed with the blood and fiuids, and occasions 

 ulcers, which, if a remedy be not speedily applied, soon 

 produce death. The only remedy for this evil is to set fire 

 to the dried stems of a certain plant, and to keep tlie body 

 of the patient over the flame till it begins to swell; an ope- 

 ration which the inhabitants of these" districts can perform 

 with great dexterity. It has been observed that no bad 

 consequences ensue when this animal has been bruised on 

 thepahn of the hand; from which it is inferred, that the 

 small quantity of poisonous juice is absorbed by the callous 

 parts of the skin in the palm of the hand, and cannot pe- 

 netrate into the blood. The natives, who travel througli 

 these districts, often bruise the insect in their hands '^ii 

 order to gratily the curiosity of travellers. But then; can 

 be no doubt that the coya, if bruised in a less callous hand, 

 the skin of which is tlilnner or tenderer, would produce 

 nearly the same effects as when bruised in other parts of the 

 body. 



" Those who travel .through these valleys, when thcv 

 feel a sensation of puncture by an insect 'in the face o'r 

 neck, take great care not to rub or to touch the part, be- 

 cause the least pressure bruises the coya, which when not 

 bruised is harmless. On such occasions, they cause tljc 

 natives who accompany them to examine the place ; and 

 if the latter observe a coya, they blow it off with their breath 

 williout touching it; by which means the travellers are freed 

 from danger, l^he cattle in these valleys are led by instinct 

 to use the same precaution; they breathe strongly on the 

 herbs and grass on which they are about to feecl. The 

 mules, however, often cat the coya ; after which they gra- 

 dually swell, and at length die."' 



The province of Popayan, as is well known, is a distrirt 

 of New Grenada, and particularly remarkable because it i.s 

 the only part of America, where' platina is I'ound. I have 

 5cen no aecovmt of the coya in any other work, and there- 



• Vol. i. p. 343. 



fore 



