3S Dr. Roxburgh's Account of 



examine the tree, and, on discovering the small worms, they cut 

 oft' branches of the tree sufficient tor their purpose, with the 

 young brood on the branches; these they carry to convenient si- 

 tuations near their houses, and distribute the branches on the 

 Asseen tree in proportion to the size thereof, but they put none 

 on the Byer tree. The Parieahs, or hill people, guard the insects 

 night and day while in the worm state, to preserve them from 

 crows and other birds by day, and from bats by night. 



" I myself have seen them thus watching the brood. This spe- 

 cies cannot be confined, for so soon as the moth pierces the 

 cocoon it gets away ; and the people add, that it is impossible to 

 keep it, by any precaution whatever. 



3d. " To wind oft" these cocoons, they put them into a ley 

 made of plantain ashes and water, for about two hours, after 

 which they take them out of the ley, and put them in their wet 

 state into an earthen pot ; those which are properly softened are 

 first applied to the reel, and so on, as the cocoons become soft, 

 for four or five days, till the whole are wound off. 



" The implement used for taking off the thread is a small com- 

 mon reel of four bars. The cocoons are laid in a smooth earthen 

 dish, without water; the reel is turned by the right hand, whilst 

 the thread of four or five cocoons passes over the left thigh of the 

 spinner, and he gives the thread a twist with his left hand upon 

 his thigh. The operation is this instant in my sight, with a thread 

 of five cocoons, the produce of another species called Jarroo, and 

 described below, but the reeling is exactly the same as that of the 

 Bughy, and therefore one description answers for both. I must 

 add, that the thread is exceedingly apt to come off double and 

 treble for several yards together, which is not regarded by the 

 natives, as breaking oft" double threads would diminish the pro- 

 duce, 



