HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



183 



entirely deftitute of fheep, they bred up innumerable 

 fpecies of animals unknown in Europe. Private per- 

 fons brought up tecbicbis, quadrupeds, as we have al- 

 ready mentioned, fimilar to little dogs ; turkeys, quails, 

 geefe, ducks, and other kinds of fowl. In the houfes 

 of lords were bred fifli, deer, rabbits, and a variety of 

 birds ; and in the royal palaces, almofi: all the fpecies 

 of quadrupeds, and winged animals of thofe countries, 

 and a prodigious number of water animals and reptiles. 

 We may fay, that in this kind of magnificence Monte- 

 zuma II. furpaffed all the kings of the world, and that 

 there never has been a nation equal in ikill to the Mex- 

 icans in the care of fo many different fpecies of animals, 

 which had fo much knowledge of their difpofitions, 

 of the food which was mod proper for each, and of 

 all the means neceffary for their prefervation and in- 

 creafe. 



Among the animals reared by the Mexicans, no one 

 is more worthy of mention than the nocbiztli, or Mexi- 

 can cochineal, defcribed by us in our firfl book. This 

 infect, fo greatly valued in Europe on account of its 

 dyes, and efpecially thofe of fcarlet and crimfon, being 

 not only extremely delicate, but alfo perfecuted by fe- 

 veral enemies, demands a great deal more care from the 

 breeders than is neceffary for the filk-worm. Rain, 

 cold, and ftrong winds deflroy it. Birds, mice, and 

 worms, perfecute it furioufly and devour it ; hence it 

 is neceffary to keep the rows of opuntia, or nopal, 

 where thofe infe&s are bred always clean ; to attend 

 conftantly to drive away the birds which are definitive 

 to them, to make nefls of hay for them in the leaves of 

 the opuntia, by the juice of which they are nouriflied, 

 and when the feafon of rain approaches, to raife them 



from 



