132 DIRECT INJURIES CAUSED BY INSECTS. 



eyes and upon the lips of its persecutrix. In conse- 

 quence of this, one of the former became inflamed, the 

 latter swelled excessively, even the tongue and gums 

 were slightly affected, and a continual vomiting attended 

 these symptoms. In spite of every remedy the swelling 

 of the lips continued to increase, till at length an old wo- 

 man, by the simple application for fifteen days of the 

 leaves and juice of plantain, together with some spider's 

 web, ran away with all the glory of the cure 3 . Ulloa 

 gives us a remarkable account of a species of Acarus, of a 

 fiery red colour, common in Popayan, called Coya or 

 Coyba, and usually found in the corners of walls and 

 among the herbage, the venom of which is of such ma- 

 lignity, that on crushing the insect, if any fall on the skin 

 of either man or beast, it immediately penetrates into the 

 flesh, and causes large tumours, which are soon succeed- 

 ed by death. Yet, he further observes, if it be crushed 

 between the palms of the hands, which are usually cal- 

 lous, no bad consequence ensues. People who travel along 

 the valleys of the Neyba, where these insects abound, 

 are warned by their Indian attendants, if they feel any 

 thing stinging them, or crawling on their neck or face, 

 not so much as to lift up their hand to the place, the texture 

 of the Coya being so delicate that the least force causes 

 them to burst, without which there is no danger, as they 

 seem otherwise harmless animals. The traveller points 

 out the spot where he feels the creature to one of his 

 companions, who, if it be a Coya, blows it away. If this 

 account does not exaggerate the deleterious quality of 

 the juices of this insect, it is the most venomous animal 



a Amoreux, 210-212. 



