the Tusseh and Arrindy Silk-Worms of Bengal. 37 



iris. Inferior, or second pair, are in point of colour like the 

 first pair; the posterior margins arc also scolloped, and with a 

 similar border, but convex; the eye in the centre of each is also 

 the same. All are clothed with much soft hair, which becomes 

 longer and longer towards the shoulder or points of insertion. 



The following interesting history of these most beautiful as well 

 as most useful animals, I have had the good fortune to procure, 

 by means of Mr. William Pope of Mahometpore, and with the 

 writer (Mr. Atkinson's) permission, I transcribe in this place : 



To William Pope, Esq. 



DEAR SIR, 



" I duly received your letter of the evening of the 24th, toge- 

 ther with the questions put to you by Doctor Roxburgh on the 

 subject of the Tusseh silk-worm, and shall, with great pleasure, 

 give the best answers in my power to the Doctor's inquiries, pre- 

 viously remarking, that I have an opportunity of consulting two 

 of the hill people, in whose neigbourhood a good deal of Tusseh 

 silk is produced, and whom 1 have questioned on points imper- 

 fectly known to myself. To reply to the Doctor's questions re- 

 gularly. — 



1st. " The cocoons of the insect, which feeds on the Byer leaf, 

 are called by the natives Bughy, producing a Tusseh silk. They 

 are annual, and are said to remain in the cocoon nine months, 

 and to be three months in the egg and worm state. 



2d. " This species cannot be domesticated. I am informed 

 that the natives cannot even retain any of it for seed. The hill 

 people say that they go into jungles, and under the Byer and 

 Asseen trees they find the excrement of the insect; on which they 



examinq 



