THE AMERICAN COCHINEAL. 313 



very great distance, as the greatest part of it is col- 

 lected in Assam The best Lac is of a deep red 

 colour. If it be pale, and pierced at the top, the va- 

 lue diminishes, because the insects have left their 

 cells, and consequently it can be of no use as a dye ; 

 thourh probably it maybe of more value as a varnish. 



Stick Lac is the natural state of this production. 

 When the cells are separated from the sticks, 

 broken into small pieces, and appear in a granulated 

 form, they are called Seed Lac. This, liquified by fire 

 and formed into cakes, is Lump Lac. When the 

 celis are liquified, strained, and formed into thin 

 transparent laminae, the substance has the name of 

 Shell Lac. 



Of the Shell Lac the natives of the Eastern coun- 

 tries make ornamental rings, to decorate the arms of 

 the female3. They also form it into beads, neck- 

 laces, and other female ornaments. This substance 

 was formerly used in medicine, but it is now con- 

 fined principally to the making of sealing-wax, and 

 to japanning, painting, and dyeing*. 



THE AMERICAN COCHINEAL f 



This Cochineal, so useful, when properly pre- 

 pared, to painters and dyers, is a native of South 

 America, where it is found on several species of Cac- 

 tus, particularly the Cactus Opuntia, or prickly Pear- 

 tree. In Jamaica these insects are also now pretty 

 common, but they are generally understood to have 

 been introduced from America. The heavy rains, 



* Phil. Tran. vol. Ixxi. p. 374, 5 Coccus Cacti. Linn, 



