CHINESE MODE OF REARING SILKWORMS. 141 



we gave a plentiful supply of leaves, morning and 

 evening, and in the course of four days several of 

 them grew considerably, and prepared for their 

 transformation, and in seven days all of them had 

 assumed the pupa state. The whole of them in 

 due time burst from their pupa form, and became 

 perfect insects, except the one which had first be- 

 come a pupa. On opening it, we found it entirely 

 empty ; all its vital parts having been completely 

 dried up and absorbed. We carefully examined 

 the various butterflies, but could perceive no differ- 

 ence in the size of those which had been ill fed, 

 and those which had revelled in abundance. 



From the above experiment, we proved that the 

 period of transformation between the larva and pupa 

 condition can be protracted. 



In China very rigid attention is given to the cat- 

 erpillars in the early stage of their existence, and 

 they are fed by night as well as by day. The day 

 on which they are hatched they are supplied with 

 ibrty meals, thirty on the second day, and reduced 

 by certain proportions for some days thereafter, till 

 they come to twice a-day. When hazy or damp 

 w-eather occurs during the feeding season, the appe- 

 ites of the caterpillars are considerably affected by 

 this change of the atmosphere. Those who tend 

 them burn straw over the worms, which dries the 

 air, warms it, and stimulates them to feed freely. 



Cleanliness is considered of vital importance to 



