LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 145 
and where they soon attain their full size. At 
this time the Indians scrape them off with their 
long nails, leaving all the young ones already 
born, which in two or three months afford an- 
other harvest. After this the rainy season re- 
turns, and the Indians collect the young ones 
of this last gathering to take under shelter. The 
cochineal of the first gathering is esteemed the 
best, and produces the finest colour. 
The Indians kill the insects, as soon as they 
are collected, in various ways. Some put them 
in a basket which they plunge into hot water, 
and after dry them in the sun. Others have 
small ovens in which, when heated, they spread 
them on mats : these ovens are called tcma- 
scales. The Indian women bake their loaves 
and cakes of maize on plates over a fire, and 
they sometimes use these, which are called 
comales, to kill the cochineal, and on these dif- 
ferent ways principally depend the colour and 
quality. The best are those covered with a 
whitish powder, and these are baked in the 
ovens. 
The Coccus polonicus, or Kermes of Poland, 
is found on the roots of a plant, the polygonum 
coccifcrum, Caspari Bauhini. Towards tire end 
of June is the proper time for gathering. Every 
n 
