] 86 TREATISE UPON THE 



them, though the net alarms them at first, but the allure- 

 ment of their prey gives them courage to traverse the 

 meshes, and one that has passed through invites all the 

 others. Artifice and allurements must be used in the neigh- 

 borhood, by sticks covered over with honey, where they 

 must be burnt with a wisp of straw when there is a great 

 number of them. P. D'Incarville relates as an ocular wit- 

 ness, that scarcely does a toad fix its eyes upon one of these 

 caterpillars than it swoons and falls ; the toad respires, and 

 in drawing its breath receives it in its mouth arid swallows 

 it. Then, he adds, if he had not closely watched, his whole 

 republic of silk worms would have been in danger of per- 

 ishing in a few days. As the Chinese books have neglect- 

 ed this matter, we will say nothing more upon the sub- 

 ject. 



We had forgotten to say in its place, that a little before 

 or after the first moulting, if the newly hatched worms 

 were left on a branch of the fagara tree, and put in a 

 vessel of water, or if they were at first placed on the tree 

 itself, care must be taken to proportion the number to the 

 tree destined for them, or on which they must be left. 

 That attention is essential, because if these worms were in 

 too large a number, they would strip off all its leaves, which, 

 perhaps, would not suffice them : being more uncovered, 

 they would there be more exposed to their enemies, less 

 sheltered from the rain and sun ; and then, when the time 

 comes to spin their cocoons, they will be in a great deal of 

 distress and embarrassment. The true time to make that 

 distribution is the day that precedes or follows their first 

 moulting. As they disperse as soon as the moulting is 

 over, it will be impossible to distribute those which are 

 already lodged on their tree if that moment be missed ; and 

 it would be forcing the others, to retain them on small 



