I'jgX. en the silk-worm, 539 



entirely occasioned by iliortening the period of sicknefs. 

 The longest sicknefs he had seen them there experience 

 did not exceed two days ; and during summer it only 

 lasts a few hours. 



When the worm has attained its full perfection, it 

 searches about for a convenient place for forming its co- 

 coon, and mounts upon any branches or twigs that are 

 put in its way for that purpose 5 after about two days 

 spent in this manner, it settles in its place, and forms the 

 cocoon, by winding the silk which it draws from its bow- ■ 

 els round itself, into an oblong roundifli ball. 



During this operation it gradually loses the appearance • 

 of a worm j its length is much contracted, and its thick- 

 nefs augmented. By the time the web is finilhed, it is ■ 

 found to be transformed into an oblong roundifn ball, co- 

 vered with a smooth flielly Ikin, and appears to be per- 

 fectly dead. In this state of existence it is called an au- 

 re/ia. Many animals in this state, all my country readers 

 must have seen, sticking on the walls of out-houses, some- 

 what resembling a small bean. 



In this state k remains for several days, entirely mo- 

 tionlefs, in the heart of the cocoon, after which it bursts, 

 like an egg hatching, and fr-im that comes fortli a heavv, 

 dull looking moth witli wings j but these wings it never 

 uses for flying, it only crawls slowly about in the place it 

 ' has been hatched. This creature forces its way throuiWi 

 the silk covering the worm had woven, goes immediately 

 in quest of its mate, after which the female lays her eggs, 

 and both male snd female, without tasting food In this. 

 stage of their existence, die in a very Ihort time. 



Such are l!it.;arp rising changes of the siik-worm. I do 

 not at present mean to enter into any details on is* ma- 

 nagement, but meiely to make my readers acquainted 

 wit!, ihe great outliies of its natural history.- A more 

 ipinutc description of tlic worm itself, when at its Rdi. . 

 size, will perhaps [>rove acceptable. 



