144 THE SILKWORM MOTH. 



that golden tissue in which the Silkworm wi'aps 

 itself. They indeed come forth in a variety of 

 colours, theii- wings bedi'opped with gold and scarlet, 

 yet arc they but the beings of a summer's day ; 

 both their life and beauty quickly vanish, and they 

 leave no remembrance after them ; but the Silk- 

 worm leaves behind ' it such beautiful, such bene- 

 ficial monuments, as at once record both the wisdom 

 of their Creator, and His bounty to man. 



The eggs of the Silkworm arc about the size of 

 a grain of mustard-seed, of an ovate shape, and 

 depressed in the centre ; they are at first of a 

 yellowish colour, but, in three or four days, acquire 

 a bluish cast ; they are laid in irregular patches, on 

 the leaves of the mulberry. In this country, the 

 caterpillar is produced in May. When first hatched, 

 it appears like a small black worm, not a quarter of 

 an inch in length : it almost immediately moves 

 about in search of food, at which time it is more 

 vivacious than at any other period, as it is a dull, 

 lifeless animal when full grown, and seldom moves 

 beyond three or four feet during its larva state : 

 hence the ease with which it is managed when 

 <Miltivated for its silk. 



It has sixteen legs, set in pairs; six in front, which 

 are covered with a shell, or scale, are placed under 

 each of the three first annulations next the head, 

 and cannot be altered in their position. The other 

 ton feet are teimed holders ; these are membrana- 



