172 THE CULTURE 



difiblvable part of the gum which occafions 

 the walle fufl'ered by filk in boihng it ^ but 

 there is a much greater wafte than this 

 would occafion when the fiik is artificially 

 gummed, as is fometimes fraudulently done, 

 to increafe its weight, or to make it lie 

 fmooth when they comb it to conceal what 

 has been ill reeled. 



The fiikworm can fix and form its ball 

 in any angle, or hollow place that is near- 

 ly of a fize with the ball j it generally 

 roams about for fome time among the 

 branches, till, having got a fit place, it 

 begins its work by firfl fpinning thin and 

 irregular threads which are to fupport its 

 future ftrudui'e j upon thefe it doth, on 

 the firft day, form a fort of oval of a loofe 

 texture, which is called the flofs-filk ^ with- 

 in this, on the fubfequent three days, it forms 

 the firm and more confident ball of filk , 

 it remains always on the infide of the fphere 

 which it is forming} during its work it 

 refts on its hind part, and with its mouth 

 and forelegs fafi:ens and dire6ls the thread. 

 This thread is not dire6led in continued 

 rounds on the infide of the ball, but is fpun 

 in fpots forward and backvv^ard, in a fort 

 of wavy figure ; and this is the caufe why a 



bail, 



