ULLOA^S VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA. 34^ 



and the difpofition of its claws. The colour of this, which is the principal part of its 

 body, is of a light brown. The ufual length, exclufive of the tail, is about two inches, 

 and the breadth one and a half. It is deftitute both of fliell and fcale, and the body 

 every where flexible. Its refource againft injuries is to feek a fnail-fhell of a proper 

 fize, in which it takes up its habitation. Sometimes it drags this fnail-fhell with it, 

 and at other times quits it, while it goes out in queft of food ; but on the leaft appear- 

 ance of danger, it haftens ba^k to the fhell, and thrufts itfelf into it, beginning with 

 its hind part, fo that the fore part fills the entrance, while the two claws are employed 

 in its defence, the gripe of which is attended with the fame fymptoms as the fling of 

 a fcorpion. In both cafes the patient is carefully kept from drinking any water, which 

 has been known to bring on convulfions ; and thefe always prove fatal. 



The inhabitants relate, that when this creature grows too large for making its way 

 into the fliell which was its retreat, it retires to the fea coafl, in order to find there 

 a larger, where killing the wilk, whofe fhell befl fuits him, he takes pofTeffion of it ; 

 which is indeed the fame method it took to obtain its firfl habitation. This lafl cir- 

 cumflance, and the defire of feeing the form of fuch a creature, induced Don George 

 Juan and myfelf to defire the inhabitants to procure us fome j and upon examination, 

 we found all the above-mentioned particulars were really true j except the bite, which 

 we did not choofe to experience. 



There are feveral other forts of infers remaining, which though fmaller, yet afford 

 equal reafon for admiration to a curious examiner ; particularly the infinite-variety of 

 tnaripofas, or butterflies, which though differing vifibly in figure, colours, and deco- 

 rations, we are at a lofs to determine which is the mofl beautiful. 



If thefe are fo entertaining to the fight, there are others no lefs troublefome ; fo 

 fo that it would be more eligible to difpenfe with the pleafure of feeing the^ormer, than 

 to be continually tortured by the latter ; as the mofchetos, of which large clouds may 

 be feen, efpecially among the favannahs and manglares, or plantations of mangrove 

 trees, fo that the one, as affording the herbage on which they feed, and the other, as 

 the places where they produce their young, are rendered impaffible. 



There are four principal fpecies of this infeft ; the firfl called zancudos, which are 

 the largefl ; the fecond the mofchetos, differing little or nothing from thofe of Spain * ; 

 the third gegenes, which are very fmall and of a different fhape, refembling the weevil, 

 about the fize of a grain of muflard-feed, and of an afh colour. The fourth are the 

 mantas blancas, or white cloaks, and fo very minute that the inflammation of their bite 

 is felt before the infeO. that caufed it is feen. Their colour is known by the infinite 

 numbers of them which fill the air, and from thence they had their name. From the 

 two former, few houfes are free. Their fling is followed by a large tumour, the pain 

 of which continues about two hours. The two lafl, which chiefly frequent fields and 

 gardens, raife no tumour, but caufe an infupportable itching. Thus if the extreme heat 

 renders the day troublefome, thefe imperceptible infe6ls diflurb the repofe of the night.. 

 And though the mofquiteros, a kind of gauze curtains, in fome meafure defend us 

 from the three former, they are no fafeguard againfl the latter, which make their way 

 between the threads ; unlefs the fluff be of a clofer texture, in which cafe the heat 

 becomes infupportable. 



The infe£l of Carthagena called nigua, and in Peru pique, is fhaped like a flea, but 

 almofl; too fmall for fight. It is a great happinefs that its legs have not the elaflicity 

 with thofe of fleas ; for could this infed leap, every animal body would be filled with 



Or the gnat of England. A. 



{hem J 



