65 

 being flat and striated. The diameter of the fibres is t4tttt 



O 10 



of an inch. Owing to the want of sufficient quantity I 

 have not been able to test its dyeing capabilities, but I 

 have no doubt it can be dyed with moderate facility in all 

 colours, though it may not yield as complete a whiteness 

 as China silk. The Japanese had some very interesting- 

 fabrics of this silk in the Paris Exhibition of 1878. Some 

 were composed of A. yama-mai silk entirely, and some of 

 Bombyx mori silk ornamented with stripes of A. yama-mai 

 undyed, giving a pleasing variety with its greenish-white 

 appearance. 



Samples of fibres and fabrics made of yama-mai silk will 

 be found, Nos. 81 and 82, in the collection. The entomology 

 of the species is illustrated in Plates XVII. and XVIII. 



The following is extracted from " CasselFs Technical 

 Educator," and is the translation of a notice published by 

 M. Pompe van Meedervoort relative to the introduction of 

 the Yama-mai into Europe: — 



" In 1862 I had the honour to make the acquaintance of 

 M. Eugene Simon. Pie informed me of the great value of 

 the Bombyx Yama-mai, and together we made every 

 effort, but in vain, to procure eggs of this species ; we were 

 told it was absolutely impossible to obtain them. M. Simon 

 being obliged to return, I made him promise before he left 

 to continue my efforts, and in case of success to offer the 

 eggs to the French Government. But the more I tried, 

 the more I saw how difficult, if not impossible, was the 

 attempt. I applied in vain to the Japanese merchants, 

 the silk growers, to many native naturalists with whom I 

 was on friendly terms, lastly, to the Government, but all in 

 vain. The reply was ' The penalty of death is inflicted on 

 anyone who may export these eggs.' Another idea then 

 possessed me ; to apply to one of my pupils. As the 

 Principal of the Imperial School of Medicine at Nagasaki, 

 I was surrounded with students from the different provinces 

 of Japan, and amongst others from the provinces of Echizen 

 and Vigo, or Hiogo, where alone the Yama-mai silkworms 

 are reared. One of these youths, who had on several 

 occasions given me proofs of his extraordinary devotion, 

 was selected by me for the purpose ; to him I explained 

 the whole affair, and proposed that he should go to Vigo at 

 my expense, in order to collect and send me as many eggs 

 as possible. This brave young man, whose name I have 

 promised never to divulge, started on the morrow, and 

 after an absence of 15 days secretly sent me the eggs, 

 which he had collected with much difficulty and danger to 



Q 3255. E 



