Weavers and Spinners. 



sapphires, green as emeralds, red as rubies; yet none 

 of them produce threads of such purity, brightness, 

 and fineness as the humble Silkworm, dressed like a 

 workman in a dirty white blouse, although many of 

 them make a far larger cocoon. Most of us as children 

 have kept Silkworms, so that we are more or less familiar 

 with their dingy white colour and general appearance ; 

 with their beautiful golden cocoons, and pretty, soft, 

 docile little moths that come forth from those silken 

 chambers. The weaving of that silken cocoon is 

 really a very wonderful performance. From the time 

 the Silkworm emerges from the egg until it is fully 

 grown and ready to begin the weaving of its cocoon, 

 it has done nothing but eat from morning to night, 

 save for brief intervals when it has had to pause to cast 

 its skin five times in all; and has hardly moved, 

 save to crawl over the mulberry leaf to a fresh position. 

 Now, however, having attained to its full size, it be- 

 comes restless, wandering away from the leaves, and 

 continually raising its head and moving it from side to 

 side, seeking a suitable spot to which it may cling during 

 the process of weaving its cocoon. Having found a 

 position to its liking, the Silkworm now sets to work 

 to accomplish its task. At first it throws out on all 

 sides some rough fluffy silk called " refuse silk," and 

 destined for fixing the cocoon. The foundations, so 

 to speak, having been thus laid down, the Silkworm 

 proceeds to unwind its long silken thread, bending it 

 backwards and forwards to the several points of attach- 

 ment, and gradually enclosing itself in a silken cell. 

 For some time it is possible to see the shadow of the 

 Silkworm through the veil of silk, as it ceaselessly 



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