248 



vol. ii. Catal. Lep. Mus. Ind. House, on plate 29, fig. 1, 1 a, copied 

 from the original drawings made by Lady Isabella Rose Gilbert. 



Also figured among the drawings of the late Gen. Hardwicke. 



One of the earliest notices of an insect, very nearly allied to this 

 species, is given by the venerable Rumphius in his ' Herbarium Am- 

 boinense,' vol. iii. p. 113, pi. 75 (1750), who discovered the larva iu 

 Amboyua feeding on the Mangium caseolare rubrum {Rhizophora ca- 

 seolaris, Linn.). The figures of the larva, cocoon, and imago, on 

 Rumphius's plate, show its close affinity to the Anth. paphia. 



Dr. Roxburgh states this to be the " Bughy of the natives of the 

 Burbhoom Plills, where the silk, which the same people call Tusseh, 

 is manufactured. It is a native of Bengal, Bahar, Assam, &c. Feeds 

 upon the leaves of Rhamnus jujuba (Byer of the Hindoos) and of 

 Terminalia alata glabra, Roxb. (Asseen of the Hindoos)." 



They are found in such abundance, over many parts of Bengal and 

 the adjoining provinces, as to have afforded to the natives, from time 

 immemorial, an abundant supply of a most durable, coarse, dark- 

 coloured silk, commonly called Tusseh-silk, which is woven into a 

 kind of cloth called Tusseh-doot'hies, much worn by Brahmins and 

 other sects of Hindoos. 



Eggs white, which hatch in from two to four weeks. The larvae 

 acquire their full size, which is about 4 inches in length, and 3 in 

 circumference, in about six weeks. When the larvse approach their 

 full size, they are too heavy to crawl in search of their food with the 

 back up, as is usual with most caterpillars, but traverse the branch 

 suspended by the feet. When the larvae are ready to spin the cocoon, 

 each of them connects, by means of the recent glutinous filament of 

 which the cocoon is made, two or three leaves into an exterior enve- 

 lope, which serves as a basis to spin the complete cocoon in ; besides, 

 the cocoon is suspended from a branch of the tree by a thick, strong, 

 consolidated cord. The cocoon is of an exact oval shape, and ex- 

 ceedingly firm texture. The chrysalis remains dormant for about 

 nine months, viz. from October until July, the perfect insect always 

 emerging during the night ; and does not exist more than from six to 

 twelve days when confined. 



Michael Atkinson, Esq., says, "This species cannot be domesticated. 

 I am informed that the natives cannot even retain any of it for seed. 

 The hill people say that they go into the jungles, and under the 

 Byer and Asseen trees they find the excrement of the insect ; on 

 which they examine the tree, and, on discovering the small worms, 

 they cut off branches of the tree sufficient for their purpose, with the 

 young brood upon them ; these they carry to convenient situations 

 near their houses, and distribute the branches on the Asseen tree in 

 proportion to the size thereof, but they put none on the Byer tree. 

 The Parieahs, or hill people, guard the insects night and day while 

 in the worm state, to preserve them from crows and other birds by 

 day, and from bats by night." — Dr. Roxburgh, Trans. Linn. Soc. 

 vii. p. 33 (1804). 



According to (^ol. Sykes, this is the " Kollsurra silk-worm of the 

 Deccan. It feeds indi&criminately on the Sagwan or Teak-tree 



