Ch. n. SOUTH AMERICA. 327 



thing lefs than a pea, and in fome places are known 

 by the name of Baqiiilas de San Anton, i. e. St. An- 

 thony's little cows : and fuch is the figure of the 

 cochineal, except that it has not the faculty of rol- 

 ling itfelf up ; and its magnitude, when at its full 

 growth, does not exceed that of a tick, common in 

 dogs and other animals. 



These infe61:s breed and are nourifhed on the no- 

 pals, where their eggs are placed among the leaves ; 

 the juice of the plant, which is their fole nourifhment, 

 becomes converted into their fubflance *, when, inftead 

 of being thin and waterifh, and, to all outward ap- 

 pearance, of little or no ufe, it is rendered a mod 

 beautiful crimfon colour. The plant is in May or 

 June in its moft vigorous ftate, and at this favoura- 

 ble feafon the eggs are depofited ; and in the fiiort 

 fpace of two months^ from an animalcule, the infect 

 grows up to the fize abovementioned : but its infant 

 flate is expofed to a variety of dangers ; the violent 

 blails of the north Vx^ind fweep away the eggs from 

 the foliage of the plant ; and, what is equally fatal 

 to their tender conllitutions, fhowers, fogs, and frofts, 

 often attack them, and deftroy the leaves, leaving the 

 careful cultivator this only refource, namely, that of 

 making fires at certain diftances, and filling the air 

 with fmioak, which frequently preferve them from the 

 fatal effedls of the inclemency of the vveather. 



The breeding of cochineal is alio greatly obflru^led 

 by birds of different kinds, v/hich are very fond of 

 thefe infe6i:s ; and the fame danger is to be appre- 

 hended from the v/orms, &c. v,/hich are found among 

 the plantations of nopals : fo that, unlefs conftant care 

 be taken to frio;ht the birds away from the plantation, 

 and to clear the ground of thole various kinds of ver- 

 min which multiply fo fall in it, the owner will be 

 greatly difappointed in his expedations. 



V/hen the infedls are at their full growth, they are 

 gathered and put into pots of earthen ware 5 but great 



y 4 attention 



