2148 The Zoologist— May, 1870. 



cocoons : this species showed no tendency to vary ; it was hardy and vigorous, 

 and likely to do well in Europe, but being double-bvooded in China, this had to 

 be carefully guarded against in attempting to acclimatize the race. Cocoons of 

 B. Pernii and of Saturuia Cecropia had been sent to Australia, with a view to 

 the cultivation there of these useful races. Dr. Wallace also exhibited a specimen 

 of the American oak-feeder, Bombyx Polyphemus, reared in England from the 

 egg ; but this species was not yet sufficiently known in this country to speak 

 ■with certainty about its value as a silk-producer. Also, Japanese silk and 

 cocoons of the mulberry-worm, Bombyx mori, some very large white cocoons of 

 a noted French race, and specimens of English silk and cocoons, which, 

 especially some produced by Captain Mason of Farnborough, contrasted 

 favourably' with the other specimens, and had been pronounced by competent 

 judges to be equal to the best Italian samples. The Silk Supply Asspciation 

 had been formed about a year ago, for the purpose of stimulating the 

 production of silk in all countries where it was possible, and wherever the 

 mulberry tree would grow silk might be produced : silk was the most paying 

 crop grown ; and California, Australia, the Cape of Good Hope, New Zealand, 

 Egypt, Syria, might all be mentioned as admirably adapted to silk culture. 

 The first number of the ' Silk Supply Record' contained an advertisement by a 

 gentleman at the Cape, offering half profits to any one who would go out and 

 teach him how to grow silk, California last year sent over to Europe her fii'st 

 contribution of silk-worm eggs ; Australia this year was doing the same thing; 

 eggs from Egypt, Syria and the Cape would soon follow ; and as the price of 

 the eggs was now very high, large profits would at first be made by the sale of 

 eggs : four yeai-s ago the price in Japan was four shillings to five shillings an 

 ounce, now it was a guinea an ounce, and the demand could not be satisfied ; 

 on the Continent eggs of the best races sold at a franc a gramme. Dr. Wallace 

 also exhibited some Californian cocoons of excellent quality, and a piece of 

 black silk, part of the first specimen made in Califoraia from Californian 

 produce ; also a Japanese cocoon of Bombyx mori pierced by a parasite which 

 he thought was probably a species of Diptera : this parasite, unknown in 

 Europe, caused great loss to the Japanese breeders by spoiling the cocoons. 

 The cultivation of mulberry-silk had been successfully introduced into the 

 centre and north of France, where the climate was more variable and cold than 

 in England; and, fortified by the opinion of M. Guerin-Meneville, Dr. Wallace 

 urged the desirability of further experiment in this direction in England : 

 the process of reeling was simple and easily learnt, superior machinery had 

 recently been invented in this country to facilitate the pi'ocess, and cocoons 

 would now be imported, the reeling of which would afford a new and healthy 

 occupation for women and children. 



In reply to a question from Mr. Edward Sheppard, as to the slow growth of 

 the mulberry tree, Dr. Wallace remarked that he was glad to correct a popular 

 error on this point. The Morus alba, M. Moretti, M. alpiua, M. Japonica and 



