NATURAL HISTORY, ae 
‘erfe flreaks or wrinkles: they are of a fcarlet colour withia,.and with 
®ut of a blackifh red, and fometimes of a white reddith ath-coloury 
which are accounted the beft, and they are brought to us from Mexicos 
They have been a long while taken for fruit, but they are now knowm 
*0 be infects adhering. to the prickly pear-tree or fhrub. 
- The Cochineal Infe@, is of an-oval form, of. the fize of a {mall peay 
with fix feet, anda fnout or trunk, and brings forth its young alive» 
and is nourifhed by fucking the juice of the plant. Its body confifts of 
feveral rings, and when it is once fixed on the plant, it continues im« 
Moveable, being fubje& to no change. Some pretend there are two’ 
Orts, the one domeftic, which is beft, and the other wild, that is of a 
Vivid colour, however they appear to be the fame, only with this dif 
ference; that the wild feed upon cultivated’ trees, without any aflitt- 
ance ; whereas. the domeftic are carefully at.a ftated feafon,. removed: 
to cultivated trees, where they feed upon. a purer juice. Thofe who 
take care of thefe infects, place them on the prickly pear-plant, in # 
Certain order, and are very induftrious in defending them from other 
infects ; for if any other kind come among,them, they take care to brufly 
them off with foxes tails. 
_ Towards the end of. the year, when the rains and’ cold weather are 
®oming on, which are fatal. to thefe infects, they take off the leaves or 
ranches covered with. cochineal, that have not attained their utmok 
‘egree of perfection, and keep them in their houfes till: the winter is: 
aft, Thefe leaves are very thick and juicy, and fupply them witly 
ficient nourifhment,, while they remain within. doors. When the 
Milder weather returns, and thefe animals are about to exclude their: 
Young, the natives make them: nefts,. like thofe of birds,. but-lefs, of 
Yree-mofs, or foft hay, or the. down of cocoa-nuts,. placing. twelve in 
‘very neft. Thefe they fix on the thorns of the prickly pear-plant, and 
‘A three or four days time, they. bring: forth their young, which leavef 
eir nefts in a few days, and creep. upon the branches of the plant, tilk 
*y find a proper place to reft in taking their nourifhment; and when 
& females are fecundated by the males, they produce anew offspring 5. 
that they have a harvelt, as it were thrice a year. _ ee 
When the native Americans have gathered the cochineal,. they put 
them into holes in the ground, where they kill them-with boiling watery: 
and afterwards dry them in the fun,. or in an-oven,. or lay them upon: 
Hot Plates. From the various methods of killing them, arife the dif» 
“tent colours which they appear in when brought to us. While they 
are living, they feem to be fprinkled over with a white powder, whiclr 
€y lofe as foon as the boiling water is poured upon them. . Thofe 
at are dried upon.hot places, are the blackeft. What we call cochi« 
a are only the females; for the males are a fort of fly, as in the 
“ermes. ‘They are ufed both for dying, and in medicine, and are faid 
rn have much the fame virtue as the Kermes; though. they are nov 
som ufed alone, but are mixed with other things; for the fake of the 
our, 5 : 
The Polifh Scarlet Grain, is, when full grown, of the fize of a fmalk 
Repper-corn, and is of a roundith fhape, there being but little fign of 
Nanimal. It fticks to the root of the tree on which it feeds, and is 
wh. deep purple colour, tinged with blue. It Nes in'a rough cup, fome- 
*€ refembling that of an acors, when they are gathered for ule. 
They 
