THE TUSSEH SILKWORM MOTH. 



which the moth has pierced, and will send for more 

 to take down with us. There are none of the 

 Palma Christi species of Tusseh to be had here, but 

 I have sent for some. I fancy this last is the most 

 valuable kind, for the silk piece wove from it is 

 uncommonly durable. The head sircar of the fac- 

 tory here has an outside cover of a palanquin, which, 

 he tells me, has been worn eleven years ; also some 

 purdahs, which, he says, have been in constant use j 

 nine years, and are not much decayed yet. I re- 

 member examining the palanquin cover about five 

 or six years ago. 



' I have heard that there is another variation 

 of the Tusseh silkworm -in the hills near Baugli- 

 pore ; its cocoon is said to be smaller than the co- . : 

 coons of the Bughy and Jarroo species ; perhaps 

 this may be the kind furnished to Doctor Roxburgh 

 by Major Hutchinson : but, after all, I confess it may 

 be suspected that all the variations are derived from 

 the same insect originally, and that they have j* 

 assumed different habits by different modes of cul- . \ 

 ture or food. 



' When I return from Calcutta, I shall make 

 particular inquiries on the subject. 



' You will observe that the inclosed specimen^ 

 is tinged of a deeper colour than the filament of the! 

 cocoon ; this they say is from the alkaline ley.' 



" Mr Atkinson has, since writing the foregoing 

 letters, sent me large supplies of the cocoons of both 



