The people eat three kinds of fungi, and they have an extensive knowledge of the poisonous ones.

Salt and chile are used as relishes.
A peculiar delicacy is ari, the secretion of a scale insect, _carteria mexcicana_.

In the months of July and August it is gathered from the branches of certain trees in the barrancas, rolled by hand into thick brown sticks, and thus preserved for the winter.

A small portion is boiled in water and eaten as a sauce with the corn porridge.

Its taste is sweetish acid, not particularly pleasant to the palate, but very refreshing in effect, and it is said to be efficacious in allaying fever.