34 Dr. Ro xeu r g u 's - lecoun t of 
from time immemorial, an abundant supply of a most durable, 
coarse, dark-coloured silk, commonly called Tussch-silk, which 
is woven into a kind of cloth called Tusseh doot'hies, much 
worn by Bramins and other sects of Hindoos. This substance 
would, no doubt, be highly useful to the inhabitants of many 
parts of America and the south of Europe, where a cheap, light, 
cool, durable dress, such as this silk makes, is much wanted. 
Description of the Insects in their various Stages. 
Eggs white, round, compressed, with a depression or pit in the 
centre on each side; the circumference crossed with rugae, cor- 
responding with the rings of the inclosed animal. They hatch in 
from two to four weeks, according to the state of the weather. 
LARViE, or caterpillars, acquire their full size, which is about 
four inches in length, and three in circumference, in about six 
weeks; they are nearly the colour of the leaves they feed on, and 
are composed of ten segments, of which the posterior one is in 
some degree bifid. There is a light yellowish-coloured stripe 
on each side, which runs from the second or third anterior seg- 
ment to the fissure of the last ; immediately under these stripes 
the middle five, six, or seven segments are marked with an ob- 
long gold-coloured speck. The back is also marked with a few 
round darker-coloured spots, and a few long, coarse, distinct 
hairs issue from these spots, with others of a smaller size scat- 
tered over the insect. They are furnished with eight pairs of legs. 
The pectoral or anterior three pairs end in a single claw each. 
The abdominal four pairs are very thick, and truncated like the 
feet of an elephant. The caudal pair is similar to the abdo- 
minal. "When the larvae approach near to their full size, they 
are too heavy to crawl in search of their food with the back 
up, as is usual with most caterpillars, but traverse suspended 
by the feet, as represented in Tab. II. fig. 4. 
Chrysalis. 
