REARING SILKWORMS. 17 



three pair are seen on the thorax, or chest, of the 

 insect. They are called the true, or permanent, 

 legs, because they remain in the miller state; 

 while the other five pair, seen on either side of 

 the abdomen, disappear as the wrrrrrrbecomes the - 

 miller. These last-named p&ws are thicker than 

 the others, and are heavily covered with 3own, or 

 fine hairs. They serve the worm to hold on to 

 the branches, as well as to enable it to walk 

 straight forward without bending the body, as the 

 measuring-worm does when it moves. The two 

 lower of these paws are situated on the sides of 

 the extreme end of the worm, and serve a very 

 good purpose in holding on with fast" grip to" any 

 object on which it climbs. 



The entire body of the worm is divided into 

 twelve rings. The first three surround the thorax, 

 or chest, and are not so very distinctly marked 

 as the other nine, which are on the lower portion- 

 of the body. Tlie last pair are on either side of 

 the fan-shaped termination of the abdomen, 

 above and between which is the anus. On the 

 upper side of the eighth ring is a small, sharp, 

 horn-like organ. /This, serves as a movable lever 

 when the worm is nrolting, as it moves back and 

 forth with the movement of tha worm as it crawls 

 out of the old skin, which it lifts up, and thus 

 keeps it from clinging to the new skin. 



