148 
BLUEFIELDS KIDGE. 
WAX COCCUS. 
March ^Sth. — Visited Basin-Spring, a romantic 
little fountain high up on the side of Bluefields 
mountain. A sugar estate was here formerly, but 
now the greater part is mere wild forest. On the 
trunk of a slender Lancewood tree, I found many 
small sub- conical bodies closely adhering ; they were 
of a pale yellow hue, smooth and shining. They 
were evidently insects allied to those which produce 
cochineal, lac, and wax. The bodies of these speci- 
mens, when applied to the flame of a candle, I found 
to melt into a sort of wax.^ 
INVERARY. 
The left branch of the mountain road has in many 
respects the same character of vegetation as the one 
already described. It is, however, more frequented, 
and is therefore less romantic. Considerable tracts of 
Bamboo occur, and the road side is bordered with 
large beds of Urena lohata, a pretty Malvaceous 
flower, with a profusion of pink blossoms. Within 
the woods is situated a curious limestone cavern of 
several chambers, which I have described elsewhere.f 
Farther to the westward, the forest becomes par- 
ticularly gloomy, and more humid than any other 
part that I have seen ; hence F erns and Parasites are 
* These have been since described by my friend Adam White, Esq., 
F.L.S., in the Annals of Nat. Hist., under the name of Ceroplastes 
Jamaicensis. 
t Birds of Jamaica, p. 103. 
