first expected : but, upon a closer examination be- 

 hind the larger boughs, we were surprised to find 

 that they were coated over with husky shells, from 

 whose sides proceeded a cotton-like substance, sur- 

 rounding a multitude of eggs. This curious and un- 

 common production put me upon recollecting what 

 I have heard and read concerning the Coccus vitis 

 viniferce of Linnaeus, which, in the south of Europe, 

 infests many vines, and is a horrid and loathsome 

 pest. As soon as I had turned to the accounts given 

 of this insect, I saw at once that it swarmed on my 

 vine ; and did not appear to have been at all checked 

 by the preceding winter, which had been uncommon- 

 ly severe. 



Not being then at all aware that it had anything 

 to do with England, 1 was much inclined to think 

 that it came from Gibraltar among the many boxes 

 and packages of plants and birds which I had former- 

 ly received from thence ; and especially as the vine 

 infested grew immediately under my study window, 

 where I usually kept my specimens. True it is that 

 I had received nothing from thence for some years ; 

 but as insects are, we know, conveyed from one 

 country to another in a very unexpected manner, 

 and have a wonderful power of maintaining their 

 existence till they fall into a nidus proper for their 

 support and increase, I cannot but suspect still that 

 these cocci came to me originally from Andalusia. 

 Yet, all the while, candour obliges me to confess 



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