200 THE IDYL OF THE SPLIT-BAMBOO 



the outer layer of the gut by means of sandpaper; 

 but this unduly weakens the product. The leader 

 may be artificially colored, and this also is usually 

 a weakening process. The knots, like the poor, we 

 have with us always. 



As a result of the study of these conditions, I be- 

 came convinced years ago that a substitute for the 

 Spanish-gut leader was a matter of desire for the 

 angler. 



As the Spanish " gut " is the product of the silk- 

 sacs of the Asiatic silkworm, the idea naturally pre- 

 sented itself of endeavoring to substitute a larger 

 caterpillar, and one with larger silk-sacs, for the 

 insect from which the Spanish gut is derived. This 

 substitute was sought for in the various American 

 bombycid (family bombyeuLf) or silkworm larvae. 

 Of all our American varieties, the caterpillar spin- 

 ning the largest cocoon is that of the cecropia moth 

 (Platysamia cecropia}. The general color of this 

 moth is a rusty red or brown; this is the color of the 

 head and foreparts. It has a distinctive white col- 

 lar; the abdomen is reddish, and has bands of black 

 and white; the wings are grayish with bands of red 

 and white extending across them. A characteristic 

 is the transparent membrane or eye-spot which is 

 found on the fore wing; a whitish crescent or kidney- 

 shaped spot marks the rear wings; and the whole 

 wing has a clayish-brown edge. The antennae or 

 " horns " are broad and feathery, those of the male 



