242 The New Oak-feeding Silkworm of China. 



many others from India, China, Japan, and Australia have 

 been brought into notice. 



The latest of these is the oak-feeding insect of China, 

 the Anthercea Pernyi, Guer. Menne. It produces what is 

 known as mountain silk, which has of late become a most 

 important article of trade amongst the Chinese. A description 

 of this insect, and of the oaks upon which it feeds, will probably 

 be of some interest to the readers of the Intellectual Observer. 

 Specimens of the foliage and the acorns of these plants, together 

 with some cocoons containing chrysalids, and some hanks of 

 the silk, were recently received at Kew from China, and from 

 these materials the species of Quercus have been decided. Two 

 of them, called by the Chinese respectively large and small 

 ce Tsing-kang-lew,"" appear to be Quercus Mongolica. Another 

 called " Hoo-po-lo," is Quercus obovata, Bunge, the leaves of 

 which are larger and darker in colour than those of Quercus 

 Mongolica. There is also a marked difference in the acorns, 

 which are larger, and the scales long and tapering, and of a 

 dark brown colour, thus giving to the cup the appearance 

 of being covered with long brown fur, which also partly covers 

 the acorn itself. The fourth is called " Tseen-tso-tsze," and is 

 the Quercus serrata of Thunberg. The silkworms fed upon 

 this oak produce the best silk ; the tree, however, is not so 

 common in the silk districts as either of the other species. 



The next best quality of silk is produced by feeding the 

 insects upon the leaves of Quercus Mongolica, those of Quercus 

 obovata producing the most inferior description. Two crops of 

 silk are produced by the Antliercea Pernyi in one year — a spring 

 and an autumn crop. The cocoons, which are very large, as 

 will be seen by the Plate, are carefully selected by the silk 

 growers after the autumn crop of silk has been collected, and 

 stored away in baskets, which are usually hung up in ordinary 

 living rooms for the spring. The ordinary heat of a Chinese 

 living room during the winter seems to be quite sufficient to 

 prevent the frost affecting the chrysalids. The temperature of 

 a Chinese dwelling in. the mountain silk districts is during the 

 greater part of the winter considerably below freezing point. 

 It is thought that the chrysalis would not be affected even 

 if exposed on the trees during an ordinary winter night in the 

 Chinese forests, and if this be so, it will probably proye hardy 

 enough to bear our climate. Towards the end of April the 

 oaks upon which the caterpillars feed begin to open their young 

 leaves, and to push forward the growth of these leaves so as to 

 have food in readiness for the caterpillars when hatched ; twigs 

 are cut off the- trees, and placed either in tubs of water in 

 dwelling-houses, or in pools and mountain streams. By the 

 time the leaves have expanded, the moths have made their 



