388 CATALOGUE OF 



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. Eoxburgh, Trans. Linn. Soc. VII. p. 33, 

 1804.) 



According to Col. Sykes, this is the " Kolisurra silkworm of the 

 Deccan. It feeds indiscriminately on the Sagwan, or Teak tree (Tec- 

 tona grandis), the Bor {Zizyphus jujube), the Asana (Terminalia alata 

 glabra), and the mulberry, Tut (Morus indica). The cocoons are 

 extensively used by matchlock-men, cut into thongs, as ligatures for 

 binding the matchlock-barrel to the stock : the thongs are more 

 durable than those of leather." 



From the Journal of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society 

 of India, VI. p. 167 (1848), et seqq., we extract the following notes 

 by Messrs. B. H. Hodgson and B. "W. G-. Erith. According to 

 Mr. Hodgson, " this is the Munga silkworm moth of the Meches, and 

 is found wild in the Saul forest. It feeds on the Saul tree (Shorea 

 robusta) ; the fibre yielded is very strong, and must surely be that 

 known to classic commerce, and used by the Eomans for the manu- 

 facture of the awnings of their immense theatres." Mr. Erith says : 

 — " As far as my acquaintance with this insect extends, I believe it 

 to be found throughout the whole of this side of India ; that is to say, 

 from the north-western range of the Himalaya direct south as far 

 as Midnapore, and also through the north-eastern range to Assam, 

 and southwards to Chittagong. I have no doubt but that it extends 

 further, but cannot state so from my own experience. Dr. Eoyle, 

 in his volume on the productive resources of India, states that it was 

 found by Col. Sykes in the Bombay and by Dr. G-eddes in the Madras 

 presidency. I have seen it from Mussooree, and have it in my own 

 collection from Kussowlee, Darjeeling,Assam,Cherra Poonjee, Sylhet, 



