228 INSECTS AND MAN 



Reaumur, the celebrated French scientist, in his writings, 

 predicted that the time would come when cochineal would 

 be smuggled out of Mexico, in the same manner that the 

 silkworm had reached Europe from China. Forty years 

 later, Thiery de MenonviJle, inspired by what Reaumur had 

 written, travelled to Mexico, secured some of the coveted 

 insects and took them to Port-au-Prince ; a native insur- 

 rection, however, put an end to the venture, which was 

 never repeated. In 1806 the insect made its first appear- 

 ance in Europe, where its food plant had long been known. 

 At Cadiz, Toulon, in the south of Spain, and in Italy, 

 unsuccessful attempts were made to acclimatise it. In 

 1810, owing to an insurrection, Mexico was lost to Spain, 

 and seventeen years later further attempts were made to 

 establish the insect in Corsica, Sardinia, and in the 

 neighbourhood of Grenada and Valencia. As before, the 

 attempt resulted in failure, for the climate of Europe was 

 evidently ill suited to so delicate an insect. In the same 

 year, however, cochineal was introduced into the Canary 

 Islands, and a veritable god-send it proved to the islanders. 

 The director of the Botanic Gardens at Orotava, Berthelot 

 by name, received some living specimens from Cadiz, and 

 placed them on the prickly pears in his gardens. So well 

 did the insects thrive that, by the end of the year, he 

 proposed to distribute them over the island to all who had 

 the necessary food plants on their land. His project was 

 received with scant courtesy and almost opposition, so that 

 it also came to naught. Almost at the same time the 

 Spanish Government established a cochineal farm at Santa 

 Cruz, and, despite the fact that those in charge displayed 

 unwonted energy in the matter, sent the insects to the 

 neighbouring islands and used every means to interest the 

 peasant proprietors in the scheme, in less than two years 

 all trace of the industry had vanished. Not so, however, 

 the insects themselves. In the neighbourhood of Orotava, 

 when left to themselves they increased rapidly, so much so 



