120 THE TUSSEH SILKWORM MOTH. 



' 3d. To wind off these cocoons, they put them 

 into a ley made of plantain ashes and water, for 

 about two hours, after which they take them out 

 of the ley, and put them in their wet state into an 

 earthen pot ; those which are properly softened are 

 first applied to the reel, and so* on, as the cocoons 

 become soft, for four or five days, till the whole are 

 wound off. 



' The implement used for taking off the thread 

 is a small common reel of four bars. The cocoons 

 are laid in a smooth earthen dish, without water ; 

 the reel is turned by the right hand, whilst the 

 thread of four or five cocoons passes over the left 

 thigh of the spinner, and he gives the thread a 

 twist with his left hand upon his thigh. The ope- 

 ration is this instant in my sight, with a thread of 

 five cocoons, the produce of another species called 

 Jarroo, and described below, but the reeling is ex- 

 actly the same as that of the Bughy, and therefore 

 one description answers for both. I must add, that 

 the thread is exceedingly apt to come off double and 

 treble for several yards together, which is not re- 

 garded by the natives, as breaking off double threads 

 would diminish the produce, and, moreover, would 

 occasion loss of time : a very even thread, however, 

 may with care be reeled from either the Bughy or 

 Jarroo cocoon. 



4th. ' The Bughy silkworm feeds indifferently 

 on Byer and on Asseen leaves, and is a species in. 



