126 ON REARING 



that is experienced. When they moult they cease eating, 

 and shed their skin ; then they experience a great change. 

 But the greatest of these changes, is their metamorphosis 

 from the chrysalis into butterflies, or moths. When a silk 

 worm is completely yellow, its mouth is shut, it no longer 

 eats, but sleeps, or is torpid ; it then resembles a man afflicted 

 with some dreadful disease ; the blood spreads throughout, 

 its body experiences great modifications. If it remains a 

 day and night without eating, its moulting produces a hap- 

 py relief. 



If, then, there be many blue and white silk worms, and 

 their feeding be too much hurried, their health will be dis- 

 ordered, and a precocious moulting will not produce relief. 

 When those which were blue or white turn yellow, and are 

 disposed to moult, all the others have accomplished their 

 moulting, and are recovered. 



When the silk worms begin to recover from their moult- 

 ing, they want but little food ; they resemble a convalescent 

 patient, to whom only slight nourishment is given to repair, 

 gradually, their strength. If while the backward ones moult, 

 the nourishment of the earliest be suspended, they will lan- 

 guish with hunger and weakness, yet you are compelled to 

 wait ; and, besides, one will be obliged to give them food 

 when the backward ones are recovering. A great number 

 will contract diseases, and very little silk will be gathered 

 from them. For that reason the author of Tsan-king, or 

 the Book on Silk Worms, says, with much reason, that " the 

 irregular moulting of the silk worms always causes a dimi- 

 nution of silk." 



SAME WORK. 



When the silk worms are just hatched their color is black. 



