146 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 
grain is then nearly round, and of a violet purple. 
Some are not larger than poppy seed, and others 
are as large as peppercorns. Each is half en- 
closed in a kind of cup or calix, like an acorn, 
which like that is rough outside and smooth 
within. From the large grains, which are the 
females, proceed grubs with six legs and two 
antennae. In about a fortnight they remain 
motionless, and their bodies become covered 
with a cottony secretion, like down, extremely 
white and fine. This down forms a kind of roof, 
which is sometimes round and sometimes irre- 
gular. They remain in repose, and covered 
with this down, for five or six days, during 
which each lays about a hundred and fifty eggs, 
or more, which are found mingled or enveloped 
with the down ; and indeed this seems its prin- 
cipal use. Afterwards they die. Each of the 
smallest grains, which are the males, produces 
a grub towards the end of June, sometimes 
covered with down and sometimes not, which 
turns to a nymph or grub chrysalis, and re- 
mains motionless till towards the middle of 
June ; it afterwards turns to a small winged fly, 
like that of the cochineal. 
There are many other kinds of this insect, 
which however nearly resemble each other, so 
