32 



have been unable to secure any specimens of the silk of the large? 

 kind, but I forward specimens of the smaller kind, both in cocoons 

 and in skein. It seems that both species give a produce of a 

 varying colour, from a flaxen white to a golden yellow. 



5. The tusser moth can hardly be looked upon as a domesti- 

 cated silk moth, inasmuch as it is never privately reared. It 

 does, however, undergo a rough kind of culture in the following 

 way. A number of wild cocoons are collected by the speculator, 

 generally a Sontal, who has already fixed upon a patch in the 

 jungle containing a number of young sal or assun trees, but not 

 more than his family can watch. As soon as the moths are 

 hatched they are turned loose in quantities on these trees, where 

 they lay their eggs, which are hatched in due course, the young 

 caterpillars being reared upon the growing leaves. No kind of 

 interference is practised with them, and all that the cultivator and 

 his family have to do is to take care that the worms are not 

 carried off by the birds, which do not fail to find out the cultivated 

 trees from the vast number of moths which they bear. "When the 

 cocoons are sufficiently formed to be handled, they are detached, 

 packed in baskets, and are taken to the nearest bazaar for sale. 

 The cocoon is of a dirty brown colour, and larger than a hen's 

 egg. I have been unable to obtain specimens either of the 

 cocoons or of the skeined silk. 



6. The cocoons of all these species appear to be in the months 

 of Magh and Falgoon, or February and March. Being now 

 encamped at Sonamookhy, the centre of the silk and tusser 

 manufacture of the district, I have made arrangements for the 

 procuring of a number of cocoons, as well as of the eggs, of all 

 the species employed in the district. 



Prom BABOO R-UTTU^ LALL G-HOSE, Deputy Collector of Gurbet- 

 tah, to the Collector of Bancoorah (No. 98, dated Gurbet- 

 tah, the 8th November, 1869.) 

 SIR, 



"With reference to your memorandum No. 189, of the 29th 

 September, 1869, received immediately before the last Dusarah 

 vacation from Bood-Bood, I have the honor to report on the 

 following points connected with silkworms and cocoons men- 

 tioned in the Government order No. 3086 of the 2nd September 

 last, on a copy of which your memorandum was endorsed : 

 1st. "What varieties of worms are obtainable ? 

 2nd. "What is the mode of supporting and treating them, and 

 the quality of silk produced therefrom? (Specimens 

 to be sent if possible.) 



3rd. Is there any difficulty in procuring silkworms for des- 

 patch to Australia ? 



4th. At what time should cocoons and eggs respectively be 

 sent? 



