the Tusseh and Arrindy tiilk-lf'orms of Bengal. 43 



This insect, known to the Hindoos by the name of Arrindy in 

 some parts, in others Arundi, appears to be peculiar to the interior 

 parts of Bengal ; and, so far as I can learn, to two districts only, 

 viz. Dinagepore and Rungpore, where the natives breed and rear 

 it in a domestic state, as they do the common silk- worm. The 

 food of the caterpillar consists entirely of the leaves of the com- 

 mon Ricinus, or Palma Christi, which the natives of these districts 

 call Arrindy (hence the name of the insect), and is abundantly 

 reared over every part of India, on account of the oil obtained 

 from the seed. Feeding these caterpillars with its leaves will, 

 therefore, make it doubly valuable where they know how to spin 

 and manufacture the silk. 



The late Sir William Jones mentions this animal, in a letter to 

 Dr. Anderson, dated 17th May 1791, under the name of Phalcena 

 Riaini, a name that I cannot well continue for fear of confound- 

 ing it with Fabricius's Bombyx Ricini ; which is certainly a very 

 d liferent species. 



Description of the insects through their various stages. 



Eggs numerous, ovate, pure white; size of a pretty large pin's 

 head. Hatch in from ten to fifteen days, according to the tem- 

 perature of the air. 



Larv.f. arrive at their full size, which is from two and a half to 

 three inches, in the space of about one month; during which 

 time they, like the caterpillars of the common silk-worm, cast 

 their skin three or four times. They arc also composed of ten 

 segments ; across the middle of each are several small, soft, 

 conic-pointed tubercles ; otherwise they are smooth and deli- 

 cately soft. The prevailing colour pale or sea green. In this 

 state they are very voracious, devouring daily many times their 



o 2 own 



