246 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



Since America was discovered, the kermes and the lac-insect have lost 

 in rank, for the cochineal has to a large extent replaced them. When the 

 Spaniards conquered Mexico, the Indians knew of the value of the coch- 

 ineal, and assiduously cultivated the cactus for its food. Every year cer- 



Fig. 232. — Male pine scale-insect, enlarged, and a branch of pine-needles affected with the scale. 



tain districts were expected to give a certain amount of the insects as 

 tribute to the ruling chief. The general appearance of the insects is shown 

 in our figures, which show both the male and the female considerably 

 enlarged. The female alone is of value, and in life, as she feeds on the 



Fig. 233. — a, a portion of the nopal cactus, with powdery patches produced by the cochineal insect 

 {Coccus cacti), natural size. At b and c, the male and female insects, enlarged, 



leaves of the cactus, her body is covered with a thick downy pubescence 

 (see figures on the left), which completely changes her appearance, and 

 conceals her from her enemies. 



The management of a cochineal plantation is not an easy task. Just 



