OF SILK. 171 



one another in two exceeding fmall orifices 

 below its mouth ; on which account it is, 

 that though the filk thread as it is fpun 

 ieems only fingle, yet it is in reaHty two 

 threads flicking flightly together by their 

 fides from beginning to end, and they may 

 be eafily (cen and drawn afunder by the 

 help of a microfcope, or even without one. 

 This gum is of a particular fpecies, neither 

 diflblvable in water nor fpirit of wine, 

 though they will a little foften it, and it 

 receives its firmnefs and tenacity imme- 

 diately upon the filkworm's drawing it 

 out in a thread, by the air exhaling its 

 moifture. 



I take this gum to be of the nature 

 of horn if it were in the ftate of a 

 jelly J for the filk vefTel, being taken out 

 of the worm and hung up, will, in a day's 

 time, become quite dry and hard, not dif- 

 fering in appearance from a piece of tough 

 yellow horn, and having the fame fmell 

 when burned : thus filk will be only an ex- 

 cefTive fine hair, with feme fmall portion 

 of gum on its furface, of fuch kind as water 

 can diffolve, and which cau.es leveral of 

 thefe hairs to cling together when they are 

 peeled out of warm water, and it is this 



difTolvable 



