GO 



NA'lVliAL II1STOEY. 



The hairs of the caterpillars are just as irritating as those of C. processioneu, or even more so. These 

 caterpillars march in single file, instead of in an increasing series. The great enemy of both 

 species is a large green Beetle, called Calosoma sycophanta. 



The only European species of the small family of the Bombycidce is the Mulberry Silkworm 

 (I)Oinby.c mort). The caterpillar is creamy white and naked, with a hump on the last segment but 



one. Its real food 

 is the white mul- 

 berry, but in Eng- 

 land it is often fed 

 on lettuce. The 

 Moth measures 

 about two inches, 

 or rather less, 

 across the wings, 

 which are some- 

 what falcate, and 

 are of a yellowish- 

 white colour, with 

 indistinct dusky 

 transverse lines. 

 The cocoon is yel- 

 low or white, ac- 

 cording to the 

 breed, and it is 

 from this that the 

 greater part of the 

 silk used in com- 

 merce is obtained. 

 The Silkworm was 

 originally a native 



of China, and Chinese historians attribute the discovery of the use of silk to the Queen of the 

 Emperor Hwang-te, who lived about 2640 B.C., and the rearing of Silkworms formed one of the 

 principal duties of the queens and ladies of the court for many centuries afterwards. A great deal 

 of silk is also reared in those parts of India where the climate is sufficiently favourable to the 

 growth of the insect. The Silkworm was first introduced into Europe in the reign of Justinian by 

 some missionaries, who smuggled the eggs to Constantinople concealed in canes. The rearing of 

 Silkworms soon became common, and has ever since formed one of the staple industries of 

 Southern Europe, where the insect has become naturalised in many places. The caterpillar is, 

 however, subject to many diseases, which have greatly diminished the yield of silk of late years. 

 The Moth is not reared in England, except as a curiosity, although it is perfectly able to bear the 

 climate. I am informed that English-grown silk is of very good quality, but that the thread is too 

 short to be of any commercial value. The domesticated Moth is a heavy insect, quite incapable of 

 flight, but if reared in perfect freedom in the open air it recovers the power in a few generations. 



Although Bombyx mori is the only Moth reared for its silk in Europe, several other species 

 belonging to other families are used for the same purpose in China, India, and Japan. Most of these 

 belong to the Sattirniidce, a family which includes many of the largest Moths known, nearly all of 

 which have either a large transparent spot, or a large round eye-spot in the middle of each wing. The 

 antennae are strongly pectinated, especially in the males, and the body is stout, and often very short. 

 The Atlas Moth (Attacus atlas) sometimes measures nearly a foot across the expanded wings, which 

 are of a tawny fawn-colour, with a large triangular transparent spot on each. The Ailanthus Silkworm 

 (Attacus cynthia] belongs to the same genus, but is a much smaller insect, only measuring about five 

 or six inches across the wings. The Moth is of a dull olive-green, with a large transparent bunule, 

 edged below with yellow, on each wing. There is also a broad suffused pink band, edged within 



LOBSTER CATERPILLAR AND MOTH. 



