LEPIDOPTERA. 229 



forced to come out backwards, that is to say, tail foremost. At 

 [lies, not being able to get its head free, the poor animal very soon 

 ies of fatigue and hunger. 

 We will now give a summary of the rearing of the silkworm, that 

 to say, of the attention which must be paid to this insect that it 

 ay construct its cocoon advantageously. We will call to our aid in 

 is very rapid summary the works or notices of MM. Robinet, 

 uerin-Me'neville, Eugene Robert^ and Louis Leclerc, and we must 

 :i)t forget the excellent and classical Dandolo.''' 

 : When it is desired to rear silkworms — magnans, as they were 

 died in old French, and as they are still called in the patois of 

 anguedoc — the first thing to do is to obtain good eggs, good grain, 

 ■; use the technical word, and then to choose suitable premises. 

 lie essential, the fundamental point, in the rearing, is to possess 

 jemises in which the air is easily renewed. The worms should 

 Ive as much air as possible given to them without ever being 

 dowed to be chilled. There is no better means of attaining this 

 id than by keeping a constant open fire in a room, and by letting 



J into the room from another chamber which separates it from the 

 en air. One has, in this way, the best workroom for a small 

 ijiring. 



In the workshop are arranged racks, by the aid of which are placed, 



the distance of 50 centimetres from each other, frames made of 

 ibds. These frames, or ca/iisses, as they are called in the Cevennes, 

 uy be from i metre to i J metres in breadth. They should be placed 



such a manner that one can easily pass round them to place and 

 ihiove the worms, and to distribute their leaves to them uniformly. 



ley should be protected by a small border of a few centimetres in 

 light, to prevent the worms from falling. And lastly, they should 



covered at the bottom with large sheets of paper. (Plate IV.) 



provident silkworm-rearer has always at his disposal a cellar or 

 (jol room, so as to be able to stow away his leaves as soon as they 



I brought in from the country. 

 What we have just said applies especially to a small rearing. In 



ge establishments, or even those of second-rate importance, every- 

 tjng is in advance of this, and mathematically regulated : aspect and 



angement of rooms, furniture of these rooms, warming, ventilation, 



* "L'Art d'elever des Vers a Soie, par le Conite de Dandolo, traduit par 

 lilibert Fontaneilles." In 8vo, Lyons, 1825. Robinet, " Manuel de I'Education 

 c Vers a Soie." In 8vo. Paris. Guerin-Meneville et Eugene Robert, 

 '^anuel de I'Education des Vers a Soie." In i8mo. Paris. Louis Leclerc, 



elite Magnanerie." In iSmo. Paris. 



