It was of a very clammy quality, sticking fast to
everything that touched it, and capable of being spun into long
threads. At first I suspected it to be the product of spiders, but
could find none. Nothing was to be seen connected with it but
many brown oval husky shells, which by no means looked like
insects, but rather resembled bits of the dry bark of the vine. The
tree had a plentiful crop of grapes set, when this pest appeared
upon it; but the fruit was manifestly injured by this foul
incumbrance. It remained all the summer, still increasing, and
loaded the woody and bearing branches to a vast degree. I often
pulled off great quantities by handfuls; but it was so slimy and
tenacious that it could by no means be cleared. The grapes never
filled to their natural perfection, but turned watery and vapid. Upon
perusing the works afterwards of M. de Reaumur, I found this
matter perfectly described and accounted for. Those husky shells,
which I had observed, were no other than the female coccus, from
whose sides this cotton-like substance exudes, and serves as a
covering and security for their eggs.
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