234 BOMBICID^ — SILK- WORM MOTHS. 



hour it became plump and lively as if nothing had hap- 

 pened.^ 



The name Sphinx is applied to this genus of insects from 

 a fancied resemblance between the attitude assumed by the 

 larva) of several of the larger species, when disturbed, and 

 that of the Egyptian Sphinx. 



Bombicidse — Silk-worm Moths. 



The notices of the cultivation of the mulberry and the 

 rearing of Silk-Avorms, found in Chinese works, have been 

 industriously collected and published by M. Julien, by or- 

 der of the French government. From his work it appears 

 that credible notices of the culture of the tree and the manu- 

 facture of silk are found as far back as B.C. 780; and in 

 referring its invention to the Empress Siling, or Yuenfi, 

 wife of the Emperor Hwangti, B.C. 2602 (Du Halde says 

 2698), the Chinese have shown their belief of its still higher 

 antiquity. The Shi King contains this distich : 



The legitimate wife of Hwangti, named Siling Shi, began to rear 



Silk- worms: 

 At this period Hwangti invented the art of making clothing. 



Du Halde says this invention raised the Empress to the 

 rank of a divinity, under the title of Spirit of the Silk- 

 worm, and of the Mulberry-tree.^ 



The Book of Kites contains a notice of the festival held 

 in honor of this art, which corresponds to that of plowing by 

 the emperor. "In the last month of spring, the young em- 

 press purified herself and offered sacrifice to the goddess of 

 Silk-worms. She went into the eastern fields and collected 

 mulberry-leaves. She forbade noble dames and the ladies 

 of statesmen adorning themselves, and excused her attend- 

 ants from their sewing and embroidery, in order that they 

 might give all their care to the rearing of Silk-worms."^ 



^ Bonnet, (Euvres, ii. 124. 



2 China, p. 253. Astley's Col. of Voy. and Trav., iv. 138. 



' Williams' Middle Kingdom, ii. 121-2. 



