SATURNIA MYLITTA. 151 



" The implement used for taking off the thread 

 is a small common reel of four bars. The cocoons 

 are laid in a smooth earthen dish, without water; 

 the reel is turned by the right hand, whilst the 

 thread of four or five cocoons passes over the left 

 thigh of the spinner, and he gives the thread a twist 

 with his left hand upon his thigh. The operation 

 is this instant in my sight, with a thread of five 

 cocoons, the produce of another species called Jar- 

 roo, and described below, but the reeling is exactly 

 the same as that of the Bughy, and therefore one 

 description answers for both. I must add, that the 

 thread is exceedingly apt to come off double and 

 treble for several yards together, which is not re- 

 garded by the natives, as breaking off double threads 

 would diminish the produce, and, moreover, would 

 occasion loss of time : a very even thread, however, 

 may with care be reeled from either the Bughy or 

 Jarroo cocoon. 



" The Jarroo cocoons, just alluded to, are so called 

 from being produced in the coldest month of the 

 year, say January ; the Bughy being about a month 

 before them. The Jarroo are likewise annual, and 

 the history of them is nearly the same as that of 

 the Bughy; they are, however, different, as I am 

 assured. The Jarroo will eat the Byer leaf if he 

 cannot get the Asseen, but he will always prefer 

 the latter, and produce a better cocoon when fed on 

 it. His silk is more of a dull colour than that of 

 the Bughy, which latter worm the hill people put 

 on the Asseen alone, not because it prefers it to the 



