Systematic Course. 53 
the wet season. The moths emerge, and lay eggs almost immediately, 
the cocoons being formed in the beginning of the cold season. Fresh 
cocoons for breeding are generally collected each March in the jungle, 
when the foliage is thin. They are usually tied onto the branches of 
trees, which are pollarded to receive them. he whole life of the 
insect is thus spent in the open and the trees have to be carefully 
watched, whilerearing is going on, to keep off birds, bats, lizards, and 
predaceous and parasitic insects, which would otherwise destroy the 
silk-worms. At best the business is a precarious ove. If is still 
carried on upon a considerable scale, but seems to be upon the de- 
crease. 
The Muga silk-worm (Anther@a assama) is reared in Assam much in 
the way that the Tusser is reared in Chota Nagpur, though it is some- 
what more domesticated. It has much resemblance to the Tusser, but 
differs both in the nature of the cocoon, which has no peduncle, and in 
the shape and markings of the moth and caterpillar. It also goes 
through a series of about five generations in the year, instead of only 
two, as in the case of the Tusser. According to Stack it is chiefly 
reared on the sum tree (Machilus odoratissima) and on the sualu 
tree (Tetranthera monopetala), but will also feed on the leaves of the 
mezankuri (Zetranthera polyantha) and the champa (Michelza sp.). 
The silk is much like fusser in consistency, but is remarkable for its 
beautiful golden sheen. The students should carefully ‘examine the 
various specimens illustrative of this group in the School Museum, 
Noctues:—This group comprises a great number of moths, which can 
usually be recognised by their smooth thick-set bodies and filiform 
antenn». The larve are smooth grub-like caterpillars with the full 
complement of legs and prolegs. Most of the species are leaf-feeders, 
but some have a limited power of boring. The chrysalis is usually, 
but not by any means always, formed in an earthen cell in the ground. 
The following forms may be noticed :— 
(1) The silk cotton-pod caterpillar (M/udaria cornifrons, Moore), 
which destroys the pods of the silk-cotton tree (Bombax 
sp.). The chrysalis is formed in the ground in the begin- 
ning of the hot season, and remains there until the early 
spring of the following year, when the silk-cotton tree 
puts forth its flowers. 
(2) The cut-worms belonging to several different species, which 
attack young plants of all kinds, including coffee bushes, 
and often do a good deal of damage. The caterpillars are 
earth-coloured grubs, which live in burrows in the ground, 
They sally out at night and cut off young plants, which 
they drag to their holes and feed on.at leisure. Dressing 
