1837.] On the indigenous Silkworms of India. 45 



9. Phalcena Cynthia, Drury, 2, t. 6, f. 2. Cram. 4, t. 39, f. 4. 



Roxb. Linn. Trans, vol. vii. p. 42. Buchanan, 

 Desc. Dinajpur, p. 214. 



(Buchanan quotes it as Phalcena Penelope unde ?) 



The Arrindy Arria, or Eria silkworm (PI. V.) is reared over a great 

 part of Hindustan, but more extensively in the districts of Dinajpur and 

 Rangpur, in houses, in a domesticated state, and feeds chiefly on the 

 leaves of Ricinus communis. 



The silk of this species has hitherto never been wound off, but 

 people were obliged to spin it like cotton. 



" It gives a cloth of seemingly loose coarse texture, but of incre- 

 dible durability ; the life of one person being seldom sufficient to 

 wear out a garment made of it. so that the same piece descends from 

 mother to daughter." — (Atkinson's letter to Roxburgh.) 



It is so productive as to give sometimes 12 broods of spun silk in the 

 course of the year. The worm grows rapidly, and offers no difficulty 

 whatever for an extensive speculation. 



On account of the double profit which would be derived from the 

 same area of land cultivating it with castor-oil plant, which produces 

 oil and feeds the worm, an extensive cultivation of this species would 

 be highly recommendable ; and if also the cloth is of the coarsest 

 nature, it is, on the other hand, very valuable on account of its durabi- 

 lity. May it not be particularly well adapted to mix it in certain 

 textures with cotton ? 



It is likewise an inhabitant of Assam, and Mr. Hugon's observations 

 about this species form an interesting paragraph in his memorandum. 



10. Saturnia (?) tri/enestrata, mihi. — Longitudo lineas 24 — 28. 

 Diagnosis. 5 obscure castaneo brunnea versus finem albido adspersei, 

 linea. transversali albida, alis superioribus ad marginem externam 

 fenestris tribus transparentibus linea diagonali versus corpus currentibus. 



/ luteus linea brunnea transversali transverse super alas currente, 

 alae superiores margine externo fuscescentes. 



Eggs, whitish-yellow ; indented 1 line on the longer circumference. 



Larva, unknown. 



Chrysalis, unknown, (damaged.) 



Cocoon, yellow, in a network, transparent, so that the cocoon in the 

 inside is to be seen, of a remarkable silky lustre. 



Imago, j of an uniform brown color; towards the end of the wings 

 the like with white flower powdered. An obsolete whitish line runs 

 transversely. The most remarkable in this insect are three glass eyes 

 on the upper wings, beginning from the tendon of the insertion lower 

 than the middle of the wing, and running one behind the other inward? 



