How Animals Work. 



branches which her ladies-in-waiting had lowered until 

 they were within her reach. The finest pieces of silk 

 which she made herself, or which were made by her 

 orders and under her own eye, were destined for the 

 ceremony of the grand sacrifice offered to Chang-si. " * 



Many and wise were the laws enforced by the em- 

 perors of each succeeding dynasty for the cultivation 

 of the mulberry trees and the rearing of Silkworms ; 

 while for many centuries it was forbidden, under pain 

 of death, to export from China the eggs of the Silk 

 Moth, or to give any information as to the art of obtain- 

 ing the silk ; only the manufactured article could be sold 

 outside the empire. Legend has it that the first eggs 

 of the Silk Moth were brought from China to Constan- 

 tinople by two monks of the order of St. Basil during 

 the life of the Emperor Justinian, and that they were 

 brought from the Far East concealed in the hollow 

 pilgrim staffs of the two adventurers. Certain it is 

 that the Emperor Justinian caused to be established 

 at Constantinople silk manufactures in which skilled 

 Asiatics, who were forbidden to disclose their know- 

 ledge to strangers, were employed. In Southern Greece 

 the industry quickly assumed immense importance, and 

 for many centuries Constantinople and Greece supplied 

 the whole of Europe with Silkworms. 



What of this master spinner of insect life, whose 

 silken thread gives employment to thousands, and has 

 also helped many to amass large fortunes ? It is not 

 an alluring-looking insect in its general appearance : 

 many of its silk-spinning relations wear far brighter 

 liveries, and are adorned with spots of colour, blue as 

 * Duhalde, Description de la Chine. 



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