314 THE AMERICAN COCHINEAL. 



however, that the West India islands are subject to 

 often render the industry of the natives in breeding 

 and rearing them entirely fruitless. 



The Cochineal made at the Brazils was observed 

 by Mr. Barrow, one of the gentlemen who attended 

 the late Embassv to China, to be produced from an 

 insect somewhat differing from the Coccus Cacti of 

 Linnaeus. " The insect of Rio (says this gentle- 

 man) is convex, with legs of a clear bright red, in 

 both male and female, and the antennae moniiiform 

 or bead-like. The male is a delicate and beautiful 

 Insect, the colour of the whole body a bright red, 

 nearly resembling the pigment, usually called reel 

 lake ; the breast is elliptical, and slightly attached 

 to the head. The antennae are above half the 

 length of the body. The legs are of a more brilliant 

 red than that of the other parts. Two fine white 

 filaments, about three times the length of the insect, 

 projecr from its belly or abdomen. The wings are 

 two, erect, of a faint straw colour, and of a very 

 delicate texture. The female has no wings, is ellip- 

 tic in its form, and convex on both sides, but 

 chiefly so on the back, which is covered with a 

 white downy substance, resembling the finest cotton. 

 The abdomen is marked with transverse rugae or 

 furrows. The mouth is situated in the breast, hav- 

 a brown beak, inclining to a purple tint, that pene- 

 trates the plant on which the insects feeds. Its 

 six legs are of a clear bright red." 



When the young insects are arrived at their full 

 growth, they adhere to the leaf of the Cactus in a 

 torpid state , and it is at this period that they are 



