Silkworm from Japan. 383 
The food was changed to-day, and water changed also. In doing 
so the fresh food was first arranged on a new tray with clean water, 
and well syringed, and the stale oak sprigs taken out one by one 
and examined; where any larva was seen it was cut off, leaf and 
all, or part of the leaf if it was large, and then placed on the fresh 
leaves; the larvae soon wandered off the stale pieces, which were 
then thrown away. A pair of fine-pointed scissars and forceps 
were used for this purpose ; and great care had to be taken, lest, 
in using these implements, any damage was done to the larve. 
Several larvee now made up for their first moult, by spin- 
ning a little web along the mid-rib of the leaf, and fixing thereto 
their hind claspers; at this time their colour was dull and 
glassy. To-day the small larve are very torpid; the larve on 
white-thorn have not eaten or passed any frass; the douche was 
used several times to-day; the oak tree in the pot begins to be 
much eaten, and the leaves are now crisp and less succulent; the 
Jarve in the greenhouse are doing well; temperature during night 
there 50°, during day 60°—70°, 
May 14th. Minimum temperature upstairs 54°, dull morning, 
no sunshine, no wind, cold, at 9 a.m. 54°; one empty shell found 
among Lot No. 8, without a larva to account for it; the larvee 
hatched yesterday are dull, listless and curled up; the larger ones 
are feeding well. In the greenhouse the larve are more active 
than those upstairs. Took a fresh oak tree upstairs and placed 
it in the pot, and put thereon several larve, placed others in the 
greenhouse, and three weakly ones on seedlings ; washed in water 
the eggs of Lot No. 4, which were very mouldy. 
May 15th. Dull morning, N.W. wind; minimum temperature 
during night 50°, at 9 a.m. 54°, very cold day ; larve torpid, three 
weakly ones on oakling seemed lifeless, and were removed. Seven 
eggs of Lot No. 4 were removed as being unfertile. 
May 16th. Minimum temperature during night 50°, at 9 a.m, 54°, 
N.E. wind, cold and dull, but little sunshine; soaked some eggs 
of No. 4 in water to get rid of the fungus; sent fifty egys of 
No. 4 to Mr. Gascoyne, of Newark, by mid-day post, in a quill. 
Three larve in the greenhouse seemed dead ; another larva, looking 
very torpid, was removed from upstairs to the greenhouse, and 
I removed three others towards evening ; the temperature of the 
greenhouse is colder by night, viz. 45°, but in the day is warmer, 
viz. 60°—70° than the room upstairs; several larve upstairs 
look shrivelled, discoloured and are torpid. 
May 17th. Minimum temperature during night 52° upstairs, at 9 
a.m, 55°, in sunshine 70°, a fine bright day. The first larva moulted 
