184 Mr, Dekhigarre on Silk Worms, 



In that periodical revolution, worms want no food ; tliey 

 leave their old coat to get out with a new one. They undergo 

 four moultings before they, arrive to their fpinning work : 

 feveral die through thefe critical periods, but no remedy has 

 been found yet, and we think it would be hurtful to attempt 

 to accelerate even the courfe of that natural revolution. The 

 «nly help is, to . keep the worms a little warmer if poffibie, 

 and particularly not to difturb them. 



(i6th Que.) How is the time of the moultings to be known ? 

 What care is required after ? 



(Ans.) a little before their moulting, the worms lofe 

 their appetite ; they look dull and weak ; their fkin becomes 

 bright ; they feek for a place to hide themfelves, under the 

 leaves or in fome corner of the ilielf, always out of the way of 

 other worms ; there they remain motionlefs for about two 

 days ; their head becomes bigger and flands up ; in the latter 

 part of that time, their Ikin bends in wrinkles, and their body 

 fcems fomewhat fhortened. All thefe fymptoms are better 

 perceived in the three lad moultings than in the firfl, 

 according to the bignefs of the worms. 



It is not to be expeded, that all the worms of one fnelf 

 will come to their moulting the fame day ; but if the greateft 

 part is come out in three or four days, which you may 

 perceive by the colour of their fldn as well as by their activity, 

 fhen it is time to change their litter and clean the fhelfp 



