THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 115 



is proloiigate<l niid its threads are attached by strong and vciy tenacious 

 gluten ; for which reasons it has never been successfiitly unwound, and even 

 carding is not an easy operation. In endeavoi-ing to dissolve this gluten 

 by ditferent compositions, I obtained great quantities of a soapy substance 

 or varnish, Avhich might perhaps be turned to some use. When, b}^ pa- 

 tience, I succeeded in dissolving the gluten from a few cocoons, sufficiently 

 to unwind them, the thread often broke by the weight of its own cocoon. 

 The silk when w^ound off compares unfavorably with that of some Mulberry 

 Avorms I reared several years ago : the threads have not the gloss, are not 

 as thick by one-third, and not over one-half as strong. Mr. Townend 

 Glover, Entomologist to the Department of Agriculture, while in Paris last 

 summer, made many inquiries about new silk-reeling machines for the pur- 

 pose of unwinding the cocoons, but could learn nothing about them. 



THOROUGHLY ACCLIMATED IN AMERICA. 



Since 1866 this worm has become thoroughly acclimated, and is now- 

 found in a wild state around the cities of Baltimore, Washinp-ton. Philadel- 

 phia, New York, Brooklyn and Chicago. Indeed, it had multiplied to such 

 an extent in 1870 around Brooklyn, that the Ailanthus trees were in many 

 pai'ts of the city entirely stripped of their foliage by it. The bare petiole* 

 bore unmistakable evidence of the hardihood of the worm, and of itspowei> 

 to multiplj^ so as to become a nuisance. Singularly enough, a certain Mr. 

 J. Q. A. Warren, who travels between this country and Europe, and deals 

 in natural history specimens, was at this very time attempting to get gov- 

 ernment aid for the introduction and encouragement of this insect. 



Arriving from Europe, in apparent ignorslnce of what had already been 

 done in this country, and possessed of a sort of a seri-mania, he extolled it 

 in a most enthusiastic manner in lectures delivered before the scientific 

 academies of our principal cities. 



It has also become so abundant in Australia, where it was introduced 

 some years since, that unless kept down by birds, it will soon become a per- 

 fect post. One interesting fact connected with its naturalization as an 

 American citizen, is that, as I am informed by Mr. J. S. Eidings of Phila- 

 delphia, the moths reared in a wild state in that city have very generally 

 become darker than they originally were; thus showing how, in a very few- 

 years, change of conditions and especially of climate may affect coloration. 

 During the past year, for some reason, it has not been as abundant as it 

 w^as in 1870. 



VALUE or THE COCOON. 



The silk is valuable in the same sense as that of some of our 

 native worms, and if ever the supply from the Mulberry silkworm should 

 fail, would undoubtedly be turned to good account. It bleaches well, and 

 has long been used in China, where it is known to be so durable that a dress 

 made from it frequently descends as an heirloom for generations. It has 

 for many years been in the market in Prance, and I saw specimens of man- 

 ufactured stuffs from it, both in London and Paris, and they had taken on 

 sundry dark colors very well, and looked remarkably fine. I understand 



