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Me _ NATURAL HISTORY. pea 
aog grafs,a white downy neft, in which the depofits 
her eggs.. Being brought over with exotic or for- 
eign plants, they are fometimes found in hot houtes. 
Shis fpecies of gall infecétis ufed in dying, fcar'iet. 
When the dried cochineal is feeped in water, or 
vinegar, the parts-of the body ‘unfald themfelves ; 
and become io vilible, as to difplay even the liga- 
ments of the legs. 
‘The Indians in Mexico, where the propagation of 
the cochineal is a confiderable concern, gather them,’ 
and put tem or twelve in mois, ox the flue of the co- 
¢o2: They are then hung upon the thorns of the In- 
dian fig tree, which grows in great quantities round 
their, habitations. They are fo prolific as to afford 
three gatherings of them every year. As foon as they 
are colleéted, they are defiroyed. Some they kill by, 
the heat of ovens; and others by throwing them into 
het water : While many are defiroyed upon the hot 
places ufed for roafting maize.—Three pounds of | 
trefh cochineal weighs but one pound whendried. — 
Cochineal will preferve, for ages, rts colouring parti-. 
cles. This valuable infect is ufed for dying fcarlet 
and crimfon. ‘The Indians mix it with gum lac, to 
dye their cloths. The cochineal furnithes painters . 
with many beautiful and fplendid tints. Itis com- 
puted, that 880,000 lb. of thefe infects is imported 
yearly into the kingdom of Great Britain. Were it 
propagated in the American iflands, where the elr- 
mate is congenial with this infect, great advantages 
might be derived: And as the cechineals of Europe 
refemble greatly thofeof America, they might, prob. — 
ably, be productive of emolument. 
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