( i66 ) 
while the young ones, coming out of the Neds, climb 
up the Nopaly fix themfelves to it, and fuck its Juice, 
which is their only Nourifiiment, but don't eat the 
• Plant ^ and for this Reafon, they always feek thofe 
Parts of it that are greened, and fulled of Juice, tak- 
ing Care at the fame Time to place themfelves on the 
Parts mod dieltered from the Wind and Weather. 
During this Time, whild they are growing up, and 
become pregnant, great Care is taken that no Ver- 
min incommode or kill them, as alfo to keep them 
clean, and difengage them from certain Threads, like 
Cobwebs, that grow upon the Nopal: As like wife to 
defend them from too much Heat, or Cold ; from the 
Rain and Winds ; becaufe the fine Cochineals are very 
tender: Neverthelefs the wild Cochineals dand all 
thefe Inconveniencies ; but then they are fo gritty, 
of fo ill a Smell, and of fuch little Value, that they 
ought not to be mix'd with the fine. 
T^hirdlyy In Regard to the gathering of the Cochi- 
neal : The fird is of the Mothers, which having 
brought forth their Young, have died in the Neds. 
Three or four Months after this, as the Seafon per- 
mits, when the fird young ones are become fufficient- 
ly large and big, and are in a State to bring forth 
Young in their Turn, and alfo have produced fome 
few, the Indians carefully gather them off the Nopals 
with a little Stick, to which they have fixed a little 
Hair in the Nature of a Pencil. Thefe Animals be- 
ing eolleded in this Manner, and afterwards killed by 
hot Water or Fire, this is called the fecond Gather-^ 
ing, or rather the fird of the young ones that have 
been nourifhed and raifed in the open Air. Three 
or four Months after this, they gather the fecond 
Brood 
