( 53 ) 

 day, at feveii in the morning, forty more were excluded from tlieir 



ecrgs. 



r always found, that the opening in tiie fliells, through which the 

 worms crept forth, was blackifli about the edges, and, as I could not 

 conceive this blacknefs to be caufed merely by the touch of their 

 bodies as tliey crept tlirough the opening, I carefully obferved the 

 animals at the time they were employed in biting or gnawing open, 

 the egg, and I always perceived, that in doing this, they frequently 

 emitted a blackifli watery humour or liquid from their mouths, with 

 which they moillened the fliell in that part where they were biting it, 

 and this not merely on the infide, for when they had made the aper- 

 ture large enough for them to emit this liquor on the outfide, they 

 then moiltened the ihell both within and without. I alfo obferved, that: 

 when the worm was about moiflening the fliell, it ceafed biting or 

 gnawing for a fliort time, until (as I fuppofe) it had brought into its 

 mouth a portion of the liquid for that purpofe, in like manner as 

 oxen, while chewing the cud, defift at intervals for a fliort fpace, 

 until they have produced a frefli portion of their food from their fto- 

 machs. 



From hence I concluded that without this kind of liquid, it would 

 be impoflible for the young Silk-worm to open to itfelf a paflage 

 through the fliell of the egg. And I faw that the animal was very 

 fparing in the confumption of this liquid ; for in that part where it- 

 had moillened the fliell, it continued to bite or gnaw (without mov- 

 ing to a frefli place), until (as it appeared to me) it had eaten or 

 taken into its mouth the liquid, and the bitten or fcraped-olFpart of 

 the fliell. At which inconceivable perfe6f ion in this little creature, I. 

 was ftruck with aflonifliment, and I drew from it this conclufion in 

 my mind, that not only the Silk-worm, but other creeping infe^fs, 

 when come to maturity in their eggs, do emit fome liquid niatter, 

 from their bodies, in order to foften the fliell in that part wliere they 

 are endeavouring to break forth, and poflTibly this liquor may have in 



