LEPIDOPTERA, 



341 



wings and sometimes a faint double bar at the end of the 

 discal cell. The head is small; the antennae are pectinated 

 broadly in both sexes ; and the ocelli, palpi, and maxillae 

 are wanting. The abdomen and thorax are densely clothed 

 with woolly hair. The distinctive feature in the venation of 

 the wings (Fig. 419) is the obvious presence of vein I on the 

 hind wings. 



The usual food of the Silk-worm is the leaf of the mul- 

 berry. Our native species, however, are not suitable. The 

 species that are 

 most used are the 

 white mulberry 

 {Morus alba), of 

 which there are 

 several varieties, 

 and the black mul- 

 berry {Morus ni- 

 gra)] the former is 

 the better. The 

 leaves of osage 

 orange {Madura 

 aurantiaca) have 

 also been used as 

 silk-worm food to 

 a considerable ex- 

 tent. In case silk- 

 worms hatch in the 

 springbef ore either 

 mulberry or osage- 

 orange leaves can 

 be obtained, they 



may be quite sue- ^^^- 419-— wings of Bombyx morl. 



cessfully fed, for a few days, upon lettuce-leaves. 



The newly-hatched larva is black or dark gray, and is 

 covered with long stiff hairs, which spring from pale-colored 

 tubercles. The hairs and tubercles are not noticeable after 



VIII 



