THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 97 



iscrve indefinitely — being subject only to the attacks of Z)er//ies^e5 or museum 

 pests which are attracted by the dead chrysalis within, and penetrate and 

 injure the cocoon for reeling purposes. 



EGG-I.AYING. 



There are establishments, especially in Japan, which are entirely de- 

 voted to the production of eggs; and most silk-growers prefer to purchase 

 their eggs at the proper season, rather than go to the trouble of caring for 

 the moths and keeping the eggs over winter. When properly managed, so 

 that hygienic rules are carefully carried out, there is an advantage in mak- 

 ing the production of eggs a specialty; but their production in too large 

 quantities also has its disadvantage, and it is well for all silk-raisers to pro- 

 vide their own eggs. For this purpose none but those cocoons which are 

 firm, fine and of the right color should be chosen, large size not being so 

 much of an object. Double or treble cocoons, i. e., cocoons which have been 

 spun by two or three worms in com23any and which, in consequence, are un- 

 fit to reel, will often give good moths for breeding purposes. The cocoons, 

 when chosen, may be strung in a chaplet and suspended in the same room 

 where the feeding Avas done, or they may be pasted on to card-board — the 

 ■object in both cases being to secure them so that the moths 'can the more 

 readily make their escape. The male and female cocoons may be approxi- 

 mately separated, b}' weighing; the whole, say a lot of 50 or 100, being 

 weighed first so as to get at the average, and each being re-weighed sepa- 

 rately afterwards; all those below the average to be set aside as males and 

 those above'the average as females. The moths come out most abundantly 

 during the early morning hours, and, as they issue, they should be taken by 

 the wings and the sexes kept apart for a short time. ' The niales may then 

 ■ d with the females. Coitus, according to the best breeders, should 

 not last more than six or eight hours, and at the end of that time the couples 

 should be separated by holding tlie female gently by the wings, with one 

 hand, and pressing the abdomen of the male with the other. The males may 

 then be thrown away and the females placed for a few minutes on sheets of 

 blotting paper, where they will free themselves of much yellowish or ful- 

 vous fluid, which would otherwise soil the cloth upon which the eggs are to 

 be laid. They may then be placed side by side in trays, lined with linen 

 <:'loth, Avhen they will immediately commence depositing. The trays may 

 be tipped up at one end so that they incline a little, as the moths are then 

 more apt to lay their eggs uniformly. They should also be kept in the dark, 

 in accordance with the nocturnal habit of the moth. Most of the eggs will 

 be deposited in about 24 hours, and" the moths may then' be thrown away, 

 as eggs deposited after that time are not as well impregnated. No de- 

 formed moths should be used. The eggs are best preserved on the cloth 

 where originally deposited, as they are protected by a natural coating of 

 varnish, and, being fastened, the worms when hatching, eat their way out 

 better. For commercial purposes, however, they are usually detached diir- 

 ing the winter by immersing the cloth containing them in cool soft water for 



