SPINNING CATERPILLARS. 



271 



drawers, certain iron plates, pierced with holes of different 

 calibres, through which they draw gold and silver wire, in 

 order to render it finer. The silk-worm has under her 



Side-view of the Silk ■tulie. 



Section of the Silk-tut)e, magnified 22,000 times. 



mouth such a kind of instrument, perforated with a j)air of 

 holes [united into one on the outside*], through which she 

 draws two drops of the gum that fills her two bags. These 

 instruments are like a pair of distaffs for spinning the gum 

 into a silken thread. She fixes the first drop of gum that 

 issues where she pleases, and then draws back her head, 

 or lets herself fall, while the gum, continuing to flow, is 



Labium, or lower lip of Cossus.— a. Silk-tube- 



drawn out and lengthened into a double stream. Upon 

 being exposed to the air, it immediately loses its fluidity, 

 becomes dry, and acquires consistence and strength. She 



* Lyonnct. 



