WILD SILKWORMS. 



England, says that this species is very easy to rear on oak trees 

 in the open air, and the moths, too, have been found to pair 

 freely in confinement, a result which is often difficult, if not im- 



Fig. 27. Larva of Antkercea Yasiia-inai. 



possible, of attainment in the case of exotic species. The cocoon 

 is almost oval, hard, and surrounded with a little loose silk (Fig. 

 25). It is spun up amongst the leaves of the oak, but, like the 

 Tusser, it has also a long stalk, to assist in mooring it. It is 

 yellowish and glossy. This species was exhibited in the Western 

 world for the first time in 1855. 



Very similar to the above insect is Anthercea Yama-niai (Fig. 26), 

 the oak-feeding silkworm of Japan. This is a larger species than 



. 28. Cocoon of Anthercect, Yaina-ntai. 



the Chinese oak-feeder, and the customary line parallel to the 

 outer margin of the wings is of a blackish hue, giving the moth 

 the appearance of being in half-mourning. The caterpillar is 



