80 ' Indian Museum Notes. [ Vol, II, 



ever, in the Indian Museum collection, and it seems very doubtful to 

 what extent tbey are entitled to be looked upon as distinct. They are as 

 follows : — (1) Anther cea cingalesa of Moore from Ceylon : Moore's figure of 

 the moth, in his Lepidoptera of Ceylon, Vol. II, is very like some forms 

 of A. mylitta, but his figure of the larva presents certain peculiarities ; (2) 

 Antherma andamana of Moore, from the Andaman Islands : no figure seems 

 to have been published of this insect, and as no comparison is drawn^ 

 in the description, between it and other Antheraas, it is impossible to judge 

 to what extent it is distinct ; (3) Antlieraa pefrottetiioi Guerin Meneville 

 from Pondieherry. This insect, according to Walker (B. M. Cat. Lep. VI, 

 p. 1379), is very nearly allied to A, assama, and Guerin Meneville's de- 

 scription of the cocoon (Mag, de Zool. VI, pi. 123, 184Jf) also answers 

 to that of A. assama, so it is not impi'obable that it may be a variety 

 of that species, though Guerin Meneville's figure of the moth presents some 

 peculiarities. According to Roudot [L' Art de la Sole, II, p. 117) it feeds 

 upon Etigenia jamholana, ZizypTius sp. and other trees ; (4j Antherma 

 simplicia of Massen and Weyraer, from the " East Indies/' The writer 

 has not had an opportunity of comparing the description of this species, 

 so its precise habitat and identity remain to be ascertained ; (5) An- 

 ther(sa fraterna of Moore (P. Z. S. 1888, p. 402) from Kussowlee and 

 Kangra : this species also is unknown to the writer. 



Ckicula trifenestrata, Herr Schiiff. Plate 10, fig, 1. 



This variable species is said to be common in all parts of tropical India, 

 and especially in Burma, Assam, and Chota Nagpore. The Indian 

 Museum possesses specimens from Sikkim, Sibsagar, Cachar, Dacca, the 

 Andaman Islands, and Java. The larvae are usually found upon mango 

 trees, but also feed upon a number of other trees ; they are gregarious in 

 their habits and spin large agglutinated masses of gorgeous reticulated 

 cocoons, which are of the color and brilliancy of molten gold when fresh. 

 They are thought by some silk experts to be likely to prove valuable for 

 carding purposes, though Stack in his account of Silk in Assam (1884) 

 reports that the silk is almost worthless. He writes : " The cocoons 

 are of a thin and open texture, yielding very little silk, which cannot 

 be reeled. The worm is covered with hairs, which produce irritation 

 of the skin, and for this reason it is regarded as unclean by the Hindus, 

 but Kacharis, Rabhas, and Meches occasionally mix the silk with eri, 

 where it reveals its presence by the itching it causes. This irritating 

 property of the worm is said to protect it against crows and bats." ^ 



^ Mr. G. C. Hodgson writes : — "The Cricula trifenestrata found in Ranchi would be a 

 valuable silk for carding purposes, but so far we have never been able to get it in a form 

 fit for export. The chrysalids are usually alive when brought to Calcutta, whilst for com- 

 mercial purposes tbey must be thoroughly dessiccated before being screwed into bales." 



