ijlloa's voyage to south amehica. 



479 



cochineal which are bred on young plants thrive much better, and are of a finer 

 quality, than thofe produced on fuch as have flood fome years. 



The coehineal was formerly imagined to be a fruit or feed of fome particular plant ; 

 an error which probably arofe from an ignorance of the manner in which it is propa- 

 gated ; but, at prefent, every one is convinced of its being an infeft, agreeably to its 

 name, fignifying a wood-loufe, which generally breeds in damp places, efpecially in 

 gardens. Thefe infefts, by rolling themfelves up, form a little ball, fomething lefs 

 than a pea, and in fome places are known by the name of Baquilas de San Anton, 

 i. e. St. Anthony's little cows : and fuch is the figure of the cochineal, except that it 

 has not the faculty of rolling itfelf up ; and its magnitude, when at its full growth, 

 does not exceed tfiat of a tick, common in dogs and other animals. 



Thefe infedts breed and are nourifhed on the nopals, where their eggs are placed 

 among the leaves ; the juice of the plant, which is their fole nourilhment, becomes 

 converted into their fubftance ; when, inftead of being thin and waterilh, and, to all 

 outward appearance, of little or no ufe, it is rendered a mod beautiful crimfon colour. 

 The plant is in May or June in its moft vigorous flate, and at this favourable feafon 

 the eggs are depofited ; and in the fliort fpace of two months, from an animalcule, the 

 infed grows up to the fize above-mentioned : but its infant ftate is expoled to a variety 

 of dangers ; the violent blafts of the north wind fweep away the eggs from the foliage 

 of the plant : and, what is equally fatal to their tender conflitutions, fhowers, fogs, 

 and frofls, often attack them and deftroy the leaves, leaving the careful cultivator this 

 only refource, namely, that of making fires at certain diftances, and filling the air 

 wdth fmoke, which frequently preferve them from the fatal effefts of the inclemency 

 of the weather. 



The breeding of cochineal is alfo greatly obftru(9:ed by birds of different kinds, 

 which are very fond of thefe infefts ; and the fame danger is to be apprehended from 

 the worms, &c. which are found among the plantations of nopals : fo that, unlefs con- 

 ftant care be taken to fright the birds away from the plantation, and to clear the 

 ground of thofe various kinds of vermin which multiply fo faft in it, the owner will 

 be greatly difappointed in his expectations. 



When the infe6ts are at their full growth, they are gathered and put into pots of 

 earthen ware ; but great attention is requifite to prevent them from getting out, as in 

 that cafe great numbers of them would be loft : though there is no danger of it, where 

 they are at liberty on the nopal leaves, thofe being their natural habitation, and where 

 they enjoy a plenty of deliciou-s food ; for though they often remove from one leaf to 

 another, they never quit the plant ; nor is it uncommon to fee the leaves entirely 

 covered with them, efpecially when they are arrived at maturity. When they have 

 been confined fome time in thefe pots, they are killed and put into bags. The 

 Indians have three different methods of killing thefe infeds ; one by hot water, 

 another by fire, and a third by the rays of the fun ; and to thefe are owing the 

 feveral gradations of the colour, which in fome is dark, and in others bright ; but 

 all require a certain degree of heat. Thofe, therefore, who ufe hot watfer are very 

 careful to give it the requifite heat, and that the quantity of water be proportioned to 

 the number of infeds. The method of killing them by fire, is to put them on fhovels 

 into an oven, moderately heated for that intention ; the fine quality of the cochineal 

 depending on its not being over-dried at the time of killing the infects : and it muft be 

 owned, that among the feveral ways made ufe of to deftroy this valuable creature, 

 that of the rays of the fun feenis to bid faireft for performing it in the mofl perfed 

 manner. 



Befides 



