THE OAK-FEEDING SILKWORM OF CHINA. 59 



had placed it. It seemed to be labouring to increase the 

 thickness of its cocoon, being, doubtless, roused to the neces- 

 sity of so doing by the feel of the open air to which it was 

 again exposed. I judged that if the cocoon had not been 

 opened, the animal would, after a sleep in it, have proceeded 

 to thicken the inner surface by further thread-spinning, and 

 have gone on so doing till its bulk was sufficiently decreased 

 for its turning into the chrysalis shape." 



From this description of the Athercea Pernyi, or oak-feeding 

 silkworm, it will be seen that it very closely agrees in habits 

 with the Bombyx Cynthia, or ailanthus-feeder ; and if it should 

 succeed in our climate as well as that insect, and feed upon tiie 

 leaves of any of our British oaks, it will be a valuable acquisition. 

 The silk appears very strong, and, properly cleaned, would, 

 doubtless, be sufficiently bright and flossy, and will probably 

 make an important import from China. 



These insects are not only useful as silk producers in their 

 native country, but their huge bodies are drawn out by the 

 Chinese into fishing-lines, which are of a somewhat similar 

 nature to catgut. We are told by a celebrated traveller in 

 China that these can sometimes be drawn out to a continuous 

 length of fifteen or twenty yards.* 



Fig. 1 in the plate represents the cocoon, natural size ; 

 Fig. 2, the chrysalis, natural size ; Fig. 3, the moth, natural 

 size. The leaves and acorn are those of Quercus serrata, of 

 Thimberg, which produce the best kind of silk. 



* For the process of making silkworm gut, see " Sea Fishing as 

 a Sport," by L. J. H. Young. Price 5s. Groombridge & Sons, 

 5, Paternoster Row. London. 



