LEPIDOPTERA. 229 



Is forced to come out backwards, that is to say, tail foremost. At 

 times, not being able to get its head free, the poor animal very soon 

 dies of fatigue and hunger. 



We will now give a summary of the rearing of the silkworm, that 

 is to say, of the attention which must be paid to this insect tliat it 

 may construct its cocoon advantageously. We will call to our aid in 

 this very rapid summary the works or notices of MM. Robinet, 

 Gue'rin-Meneville, Eugene Robert, and Louis Leclerc, and we must 

 not forget the excellent and classical Dandolo.* 



When it is desired to rear silkworms — uiagnans^ as they were 

 called in old French, and as they are still called in the patois of 

 Languedoc — the hrst thing to do is to obtain good eggs, good gi-ain^ 

 to use the technical word, and then to choose suitable premises. 

 The essential, the fundamental point, in the rearing, is to possess 

 premises in which the air is easily renewed. The worms should 

 have as much air as possible given to them without ever being 

 allowed to be chilled. There is no better means of attaining this 

 end than by keeping a constant open fire in a room, and by letting 

 air into the room from another chamber which separates it from the 

 open air. One has, in this way, the best workroom for a small 

 rearing. 



In the workshop are arranged racks, by the aid of which are placed, 

 at the distance of 50 centimetres from each other, frames made oi 

 reeds. These frames, or canisses, as they are called in the Cevennes, 

 may be from i metre to i J metre in breadth. They should be placed 

 in such a manner that one can easily pass round them to place and 

 remove the worms, and to distribute their leaves to them uniformly. 

 They should be protected by a small border of a few centimetres in 

 height, to prevent the worms from falling. And lastly, they should 

 be covered at the bottom with large sheets of paper. (Plate VI.) 

 A provident silkworm-rearer has always at his disposal a cellar or 

 cool room, so as to be able to stow away his leaves as soon as they 

 are brought in from the country. 



What we have just said applies especially to a small rearing. In 

 large establishments, or even those of second-rate importance, every- 

 thing is in advance of this, and mathematically regulated : aspect and 

 arrangement of rooms, furniture of these rooms, warming, ventilation, 



* **L'Art d'elever des Vers a Sole, par le Comte de Dandolo, trnduit par 

 Philibert Fontaneilles." In 8vo. Lyons, 1825. Robinet, *' Manuel de I'Education 

 des Vers a Soie." In 8vo. I'aris. Guerin-Meneville et Eugene Robert, 

 *♦ Manuel de I'Education des Vers a Soie." In i8nio. Paris. Louis Leclerc, 

 ." Petite Magnanerie." In iSmo. Paris. 



