THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Entomological Notes, Captures, Sfc. 



Bo7nhy.v Yama-Mai. — In the October number (Entora. iii. 

 833) is recorded the first successful attempt in this country 

 to rear the Japanese oak-feeding silkworm, Bombyx Yama- 

 Mai, so as to produce fertile eggs : the credit of this 

 success is due to Mr. Gascoyne, of Newark, and we trust 

 that his example will be freely imitated by other entomolo- 

 gists. The silk crop again this year is a complete failure, 

 and it becomes necessary to devote more and more attention 

 to the other races of silkworm, that the deficiency in the 

 produce of the mulberry worm may be supplied from other 

 sources. Some of the best silk produced by other than the 

 mulberry worms is obtained from oak-feeders, viz., B. Yama- 

 Mai, from Japan, and B. Lernyi, from N. China. An attempt 

 was made last winter to introduce this species into England, 

 and a large number of cocoons were, by command of the 

 Foreign Office, sent to England ; but whether from injuries 

 occurring in the long transit, or from want of experience on 

 the part of those to whose charge they were entrusted, the 

 experiment failed. Nevestheless it ought to be repeated : 

 errors of treatment are by experience pointed out and avoided, 

 a better acquaintance with the habits of the insect is brought 

 to bear upon its culture, and, if the experiment can be per- 

 severed in, we have Dr. Wallace's authority (who was en- 

 trusted with a few of the cocoons) for believing that success 

 would eventually crown the attempt ; indeed success was 

 A'ery nearly attained : about one dozen cocoons were reared, 

 but from these no eggs were obtained to perpetuate the race. 

 If any of my readers can help me in securing cocoons of 

 this species, with a view to breeding it in Great Britain, they 

 will greatly assist in the solution of a difficult problem. With 

 regard to the Yama-Mai, we have been promised a paper by 

 Dr. Wallace on his experience in its culture in 18G7, and I 

 am glad to see from his advertisement that he has secured 

 a consignment of eggs of this species from Japan, for the use 

 of experimenters. 1 confess 1 rather doubt the success of 

 sericiculture in this countr}', and with our fickle climate ; yet 

 1 hope that he and others may be able in 1868 to chronicle, 

 in the pages of the ' Entomologist,' as Mr. Gascoyne has 



