12 



the trees. In India it has wide range, occurring along the coast line from 

 Pondicherry, eastward, along the base of the Himalaya, even to the Sutlej 

 in the North-west, and it has been found also in Central India, so that there 

 can be no question of its being rendered otherwise than productive in this 

 country. 



Of the Tussar I have already spoken, and shall only now remark that in 

 the whole family of the Lepidoptera there is perhaps no insect so variable in 

 the imago stage in point of colouring as this ; so much is this the case that 

 a novice would scarcely believe the varieties to be all of one species. I have 

 a cabinet now before me of silk spinning moths, in the drawers of which there 

 are no fewer than a dozen variations chiefly from Palamow. There is like- 

 wise a species (for I am much inclined to regard it as such) from the Sonthal 

 jungles, some miles to the westward of Colgong, and procured through the 

 kindness of Mr. Barnes. I have received it from no other part of the countiy, 

 and have provisionally named it Anthercea nebulosa from the cloudy bands on 

 the wings. The cocoon is in all respects like that of the common Tussar. 

 I have also some which, if not crosses between Anth. paphia and Antk. 

 Frithii, must be new also. 



Anthercea Assama, of Assam, occurs also sparingly in the Dehra Boon, 

 and could a brood be once procured would doubtless soon become a very 

 profitable speculation. The great difficulty however is to find persons capable 

 of discriminating and willing to assist the experimentalist in procuring eggs 

 and cocoons from various districts. If we had but a Mr. C. Brownlow, 

 a Mr. Barnes, and a few other equally liberally-minded men in every district, 

 what a glorious harvest might be made. 



In parts of the Himalaya, and more especially in the north-west about 

 Mussooree and Simla, there occurs a fine species known as Anthercea Royhi 

 feeding on the oak, the silk of which is also excellent and could easily be 

 reared in considerable quantities by tying the females out at night, or placed 

 in coarse gauze tents or cages, the wild males being almost certain to visit 

 them before the morning. 



In 1867 I received from Dr. Wallace, of Colchester, a few eggs of Anthercea 

 Yama-mai of Japan ; very few hatched, and although they gnawed at the oak 

 leaves (Q. incana) for two or three days, the worms then shrivelled up and 

 died. I have now a small batch of the same, received from M. Guerin Mene- 

 ville, but none have yet hatched, and from their appearance at present I fear 

 tint none will do so ; Mais nous verrons. 



Of the Eria group (Attacus) little need be said save that the Ailanthus 

 worm, Attacus Cynthia, is abundant at Mussooree, and occurs along the Terai 

 region through Kuinaon, eastward to Cachar; it is the species which I 

 formerly named A. Canningi, and which the French persist in calling by that 

 name, although it is nothing more than Attacus Cynthia. This might be 

 reared in any quantities either on the Ailanthus glandulosus, or on our native 

 plants such as Coriaria Nipalensis, Xanihoxylon hostile, the woodbine, and 

 other species, but some difficulty would probably be experienced in the reeling. 

 As to Attacus Atlas, I scarcely think now that anything can be done with it 

 on account of the difficulty in procuring eggs ; the worms thrive well when 

 found and taken from the jungle, but I never could induce the moths to 

 breed. At Mussooree however we appear to be on the confines of its range, 

 but it is abundant in Kumaon and extends eastward to Cachar. Here it is 

 found chiefly, if not as I suspect altogether, upon the long milky leaves of 

 Falconeria insignia, while in Kumaon the barberry appears to be its favourite 

 food. As with A. Cynthia, the difficulty of reeling will be somewhat trouble- 

 some, but the silk is decidedly good. 



Here surely is range enough for the cultivation of silk, for it literally 

 carries us throughout the country ; there is no need to institute experimental 

 trials as was done with the Chinese Bombyces ; the sericulturist has but to 

 select the locality in which he finds the worms abundant and labourers at 

 hand, and then by strict attention to the proper rules of feeding and reeling 



