Restoration of the Silkworm. 153 
irregularly and in such a low temperature. This, however, must 
close the experiment for 1863, and I must hope for some decided 
results in the spring of 1864 from the eggs deposited in October, 
1863. 
In the meantime then I will return to the consideration of what 
the worm ought in reality to be. 
The Dark Worm is the Natural Colour. 
That the dark colour is the natural one is shown in some 
measure by the strong similarity, evinced in the disposition and 
arrangement of the markings, to the wild races of India; while 
the moth also, instead of remaining so purely white in wings and 
body, assumes a dark ashy or smoky hue on the body of the 
males, which is likewise diffused over a great portion of the wings, 
as in Bombya Huttoni. 
Here, then, I think I have already given in the above account 
strong proofs that the original colour of the worm was dark, and 
that the pale sickly hue which it has long since assumed is entirely 
owing to debilitated constitution. 
Nor is there here much room for wonder when we reflect how 
often among our other domestic stock the original colour fades away, 
to give place to pie-bald, and finally to white. Need I do more than 
call attention to our domesticated rabbits, our pigeons, domestic 
fowls, turkeys, Guinea fowls, ducks and geese, in proof that the 
more the white colour prevails the further do the species recede 
from their natural characteristics, and the weaker becomes the 
constitution. Even our cage birds, as every bird-fancier well 
knows, exhibit this same tendency to lose their original colours, 
and become paler and paler, until many eventually turn altogether 
white. 
On this subject, for the purpose of strengthening my argument, 
I feel that I cannot do better than quote a passage from General 
Daumas’ very able work on ‘ The Horses of the Sahara,” that 
writer’s views being so thoroughly in accordance with my own. 
“Tt is abundantly apparent,” says the General, ‘* that legendary 
traditions and experience are in perfect harmony in according a 
decided superiority to coats of deep and decided hues. Coats of 
a light pale colour are held in no esteem whatever. The horse’s 
coat, therefore, must be an index to his character. The long ex- 
perience of Mahomed the prophet and of Moussa the conqueror 
must have placed them in a position to speak with full knowledge 
of the subject, and their opinion, confirmed by that of all the 
Arabs, the best horsemen in the world and the most interested in 
