CHAP. VI.] 



MOTHS. 



265 



thrown out from each side of the inferior portion of the 

 thorax. 1 



Moths. Among the strictly nocturnal Lepidoptera 

 are some gigantic species. Of these the cinnamon-eat- 

 ing Atlas, often attains the dimensions of nearly a foot 

 in the stretch of its superior wings. It is very common 

 in the gardens about Colombo, and its size, and the trans- 

 parent talc-like spots in its wings cannot fail to strike 

 even the most" careless saunterer. But little inferior 

 to it in size is the famed Tusseh silk moth 2 , which 

 feeds on the country almond (Terminalia catappa) and 

 the palma Christi or Castor-oil plant; it is easily dis- 

 tinguishable from the Atlas, which has a triangular 

 wing, whilst its is falcated, and the transparent spots are 

 covered with a curious thread-like division drawn across 

 them. 



Towards the northern portions of the island this 

 valuable species entirely displaces the other, owing to 

 the fact that the almond and palma Christi abound 

 there. The latter plant springs up spontaneously on 

 every manure-heap or neglected spot of ground; and 

 might be cultivated, as in India, with great advantage, 

 the leaf to be used as food for the caterpillar, the stalk 

 as fodder for cattle, and the seed for the expression of 

 castor-oil. The Dutch took advantage of this facility, 

 and gave every encouragement to the cultivation of silk 

 at Jaffna 3 , but it never attained such a development as to 



1 There is another variety of the 

 same moth in Ceylon which closely 

 resembles it in its markings, but I 

 have never detected in it the utter- 

 ance of this curious cry. It is smaller 

 than the A. Satanas, and, like it, often 

 enters dwellings at night, attracted 

 by the lights ; but I have not found 

 its larvae, although that of the other 

 species is common on several widely 

 different plants. 



z Anthercea mylitta, Drury. 



3 The Portuguese had made the 

 attempt previous to the arrival of the 

 Dutch, and a strip of land on the 



banks of the Kalany river near Co- 

 lombo, still bears the name of Orta 

 Seda, the silk garden. The attempt 

 of the Dutch to introduce the true 

 silkworm, the Bombyx mart, took 

 place under the governorship of 

 Ryklof Van Goens, who, on handing 

 over the administration to his suc- 

 cessor in A.D. 1GG3, thus apprises him 

 of the initiation of the experiment : 

 " At Jaffna Palace a trial has been 

 undertaken to feed silkworms, and to 

 ascertain whether silk may be reared 

 at that station. I have planted a 

 quantity of mulberry trees, which 



