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ON THE CULTURE 



pale red colour, and very transparent, not unlike 

 the roe (or eggs) of fishes; but with this difference, 

 that they are not connected by a membrane, but 

 loosely packed together. The mother, with a 

 parental care, not only thus broods over her eggs 

 till they are hatched, but continues to protect 

 her young for a considerable time after, and either 

 dies during the time she is performing this last 

 office for them, or very soon after. 



The males of both the above species are much 

 less than the females, and appear very different 

 from them ; the latter, except just in their infant 

 state, never assuming any other form than that 

 of a scale, already described ; whereas, the males 

 of both kinds, in their last state, become flies; but 

 neither of them can probably do any injury to the 

 Pine-plants whilst they are in that form : for the 

 files of none of the Coccus kind have been found, 

 on the strictest examination, by the most able 

 naturalists, to have any organ by which they 

 can take in nourishment. In that state, therefore, 

 they probably continue but a short time, the 

 whole business of their lives being then destined 

 to the impregnation of the females. 



I have hitherto only taken notice of the round 

 scale, which is the female insect, and which is much 

 the most conspicuous, being far larger than the 

 male. But a careful observer will readily perceive, 

 where these scales are numerous, another set of 

 smaller ones intermixed with them, which, if he 

 be unacquainted with the natural history of these 



