x ij PREFACE. 



dear to the heart," when chasing the wayward 

 roamer from field to field ? Who can meet 

 with the pupa of one of these animals, without 

 feeling anxious to become acquainted with the 

 extraordinary process by which so singular a 

 production is transformed into an animal of 

 such beauty ? 



There are few who have not, at one period 

 of their lives, suffered in some way from the 

 consuming powers of the caterpillars of various 

 tiny Moths, who find ways of insinuating 

 themselves into the inmost recesses of the most 

 sacred repositories, and, if undisturbed, quickly 

 destroy the finest cloths and most valuable furs. 

 The means by which they effect this, forms not 

 the least interesting part of their history. 



Part of our inquiry will embrace the instincts 

 and economy of an animal which has, for nearly 

 two thousand years, contributed to our comfort, 

 the elegance of our attire, and our commercial 

 and mercantile prosperity, namely, the Silk, 

 worm Moth. Of the millions who wear, in one 

 form or another, the beautiful and durable 

 fabrics manufactured from the cocoon of this 

 little creature, how few, comparatively, know 



