AMOUNT OF FOOD. 71 



the first day, they consume 4 pounds 8 ounces, thus 

 atoning for previous abstinence ; on the third day, 7^- 

 pounds; but on the fourth day, comes on the moulting 

 sickness, and they eat no more than 2J pounds. In 

 the third age and first day, they consume 6f pounds ; 

 on the second day, 21; on the third day, 22- 

 pounds; on the fourth, 12 pounds; and but 6 

 pounds on the fifth day; on the sixth day, they become 

 sick, and take no food, this being a critical period ; they 

 cast their skin for the third time. On the first day of 

 the fourth age, 23J pounds are consumed; but on the 

 seventh, they eat absolutely nothing, and are again tor- 

 pid, this being the critical period; they cast off their 

 skins for the fourth time. In the fifth age and first day, 

 they consume 42 pounds; on the sixth day, they be- 

 come most of all voracious, and consume 223 pounds; 

 from this time, their appetite daily lessens, until the 

 tenth day, when they consume only 56 pounds. The 

 silk-worms, which at their birth occupied but 9 feet on 

 the hurdles, now require 239 feet of space, and the whole 

 quantity of food consumed, is 1600 pounds. 



According to another account or Diary of M. Bona- 

 foux, two hundred thousand silk-worms were sustained 

 on seventy-two hundred pounds of leaves. But it is ad- 

 mitted that a certain quantity of leaves were given in 

 the intermediate meals, which were not reckoned in the 

 account; also, that in the first stages the leaves were 

 chopped, which enables the silk-worms to consume them 

 without waste. Other and authentic accounts make the 

 amount of food consumed even less than five thousand 

 pounds. We will admit 9000. But much must neces- 

 sarily depend on care and economy in feeding. 



The quantity of food consumed depends also in 

 some measure on the season ; if that be moist, the leaves 

 will contain less nourishment, and consequently more 

 weight of food will be required ; but if on the contrary the 

 season be dry, less quantities will be required, as the 

 leaves contain much more nourishment. 



