428 INSECTS. [Caar. XII. 
is easily distinguishable from the Atlas, which has a 
triangular wing, whilst its is falcated, and the transpa- 
rent spots are covered with a curious thread-like division 
drawn across them. 
Towards the northern portions of the island this valu- 
able species entirely displaces the other, owing to the 
fact that the almond and palma Christi abound there. 
The latter plant springs up spontaneously on every 
manure-heap or neglected spot of ground; and might 
be cultivated, as in India, with great advantage, the 
leaf to be used as food for the caterpillar, the stalk as 
fodder for cattle, and the seed for the expression of 
castor-oil. The Dutch took advantage of this facility, 
and gave every encouragement to the cultivation of silk 
at Jaffna}, but it never attained such a development as 
to become an article of commercial importance. Ceylon 
now cultivates no silkworms whatever, notwithstanding 
this abundance of the favourite food of one species; and 
the rich silken robes sometimes worn by the Buddhist 
priesthood are imported from China and the continent 
of India. 
In addition to the Atlas moth and the Mylitta, there 
are many other Bombycide in Ceylon; and, though the 
1 The Portuguese had made the 
attempt previous to the arrival of 
the Dutch, and a strip of land on 
the banks of the Kalany river near 
Colombo, still bears the name of 
Orta Seda, the silk garden. The 
attempt of the Dutch to introduce 
the true silkworm, the Bombyx 
mori, took place under the gover- 
norship of Ryklof Van Goens, 
who, on handing over the adminis- 
tration to his successor in a.D. 1663, 
thus apprises him of the initiation 
of the experiment :—“ At Jaffna 
Palace a trial has been undertaken 
to feed silkworms, and to ascertain 
whether silk may be reared at that 
station. I have planted a quantity 
of mulberry trees, which grow 
well there, and they ought to be 
planted in other directions.” —Va- 
LENTYN, chap. xiii. The growth of 
the mulberry trees is noticed the 
year after in a report to the 
governor-general of India, but the 
subject afterwards ceased to be 
attended to. 
