THE LAC COCHINEAL. 



Description When produced. 



the fine silver-like case of the larva, with all its 

 legs and other apparatus, will be seen left be- 

 hind. 



COCHINEAL INSECTS. 



') .$ ' i *I*i ; Vn.i '7 



THE head and trunk of the lac cochineal 

 seem to form one uniform, oval, compressed red 

 body, somewhat of the shape and size of a very 

 ..small louse, consisting of twelve transverse rings; 

 the back is keel-shaped, and the belly fiat. The 

 antenna? are half the length of the body, filiform, 

 and diverging, sending off two and sometimes 

 three diverging hairs. The tail is a little white 

 point, from whence proceed two horizontal hairs 

 as long as the body. 



They are produced from the womb of the pa- 

 rent in the months of November and December. 

 For some time they traverse the branches of the 

 trees upon which they are produced, and then 

 fix themselves on the succulent extremities of 

 the young shoots. By the middle of January 

 they are all fixed in their proper situations, and, 

 though they now exhibit no marks of life, appear 

 as plump as before. The limbs, antennae, and 

 bristles of the tail are no longer to be seen. 

 Around the edges of their body they are envi- 

 roned with a sub-pellucid gelatinous liquid, 

 which seems to glue them to the branch. The 

 accumulation of -this liquid at length 



