NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Painful operation of extracting them. 



ment, sucks the blood, and forms a nest of a 

 white thin tunicle, in the shape of a flat pear]. 

 It extends itself in this space in such a manner 

 that its head and feet are toward the exterior 

 side, for the convenience of nourishment; and 

 the other part of the body answers to the inner 

 side of the tunicle, in order to lay its eggs there. 

 In proportion as these are laid, the little pearl is 

 enlarged; and in four or five days it is at least 

 two lines in diameter. It is then of the utmost 

 consequence to have it extracted; for if this be 

 neglected it bursts of itself, and spreads an infi- 

 nity of nits, which when hatched, fill the whole 

 part, and produce excessive anguish; and the 

 difficulty of dislodging them becomes very great. 

 These penetrate to the very bones; and, even, 

 when the sufferer has got rid of them, the pain 

 will last till the flesh and skin are entirely 

 healed. 



The operation of extracting them, at which 

 the black girls are extremely dexterous, is long 

 and painful. It consists in separating, with the 

 point of a needle, the flesh next to the membrane 

 where the eggs are lodged; which is not easily 

 done without bursting the tunicle. After having 

 separated even the most minute ligaments, the 

 nest is to be extracted. If unfortunately it 

 burst, particular care must be taken to extract 

 every root of it, and especially not to leave be- 

 hind the principal insect. This would begin to 

 lay its eggs again before the wound could be 



