DR. H. F. HANCE ON CHINESE SILEWORM-OAKS. 9 
books, and, though searcely more than outline sketches, in some 
instances very characteristic. The fifth chapter of this work is 
devoted to a description of the 7s’ing-kang tree, for the following 
translation of which I am indebted to Mr. Mayers. I would 
remark that all Chinese notices of this kind contain, mixed with 
trustworthy statements, inaccuracies and puerilities, but in this 
respect are not worse than the Natural History of Pliny *, and 
immeasurably superior to J. B. Porta’s * Phytognomonica. Chi- 
nese scientific literature is, and has been for ages, in that stage 
which the late Dr. Whewell characterized as the “commentatorial.” 
“The work called * Kiu Hwang Pén Ts’ao’ (or ‘ Description 
of Plants Available for use as Food,’ published during the Ming 
dynasty) did not specify the locality where the 75'ng-kang tree 
grows ; but at present it is found everywhere. The larger trees, 
producing acorns, are called Stang-li (the generic names for the 
oak); whilst those that are smaller, and do not produce acorns, 
are called Zs'zng-kang. In its stem and foliage the Z5'ng-kang 
is altogether similar to the Siang-li; but the colour of its leaves 
is a lighter green, and its flowers less abundant. Their flavour is 
also bitter, but their properties are mild and devoid of noxious 
effect. The young leaves are gathered, and after being dried, 
are steeped in water until they become of a yellow colour. The 
water is then changed; and after being strained they are eaten 
with salt and oil ” t. 
* I may here note, as bearing on the subject of this paper, that Pliny has a 
curious passage about a moth in the Island of Cos, the worm of which feeds, 
amongst other plants, on oak-leaves, and from whose cocoons silk was woven. 
Though fabulous and inaccurate in many particulars, as his statements so fre- 
quently are, owing to their being compiled without any critical spirit from an 
immense variety of sources, the allusions to the domestic rearing of this worm, 
to the softening of the cocoons in water, and their subsequent reeling, and to the 
lightness of the tissue as adapting it for summer wear, all clearly point to a wild 
silkworm. “Fieri autem primo papiliones parvos, nudosque: mox frigorunr 
impatientia villis inhorrescere [a very Lamarckian idea!], et adversum hie- 
mem tunicas sibi instaurare densas, pedum asperitate radentes foliorum lanu- 
ginem vellere: hanc ab his cogi unguium carminatione, mox trahi inter ramos 
tenuari ceu pectine. Postea apprehensam corpori involvi nido volubili. Tum 
ab homine tolli, fictilibusque vasis tepore et furfurum esca nutriri: atque ita 
subnasci sui generis plumas, quibus vestitos ad alia pensa dimitti. Qus vero 
cepta sint lanificia, humore lentescere mox in fila tenuari junceo fuso. Nec 
puduit has vestes usurpare etiam viros, levitatem propter zstivam " (Hist. Nat. 
xi. 23). 
f Although oak-leaves are still used in Italy as fodder for cattle, as was 
