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while yet moist, its escape from the cocoon is effected, and that too 

 before its wings have in any way enlarged by expansion to impede 

 its exit. It is my intention to endeavour to ascertain this point 

 beyond any doubt, if possible*." 



Mr. Hodgson, again, says : — " With regard to the distribution of 

 the species, I apprehend that Mr. Frith is mistaken in supposing it 

 does or can occur in climates like that of Darjeeling ; for I not only 

 never heard of the species here, but have failed in an experiment to 

 rear it, which was carefully conducted under favourable circum- 

 stances, from cocoons got in the Saul forest, by Mechis in my ser- 

 vice, who are habituated to rearing silkworms. Gentlemen who 

 make collections in this quarter are apt to blend whatever they pro- 

 cure from the Tarai forest, and lower hills, and from the mountains 

 above them ; and I conjecture that Mr. Frith' s specimens of An- 

 thercea paphia, said to come from Darjeeling and Cherra Poonjee, 

 were really obtained in the lowlands beneath those places. I notice 

 this point because of the numerous and important mistakes rela- 

 tive to the geographic distribution of zoological and botanical species 

 which have thus been propagated. For example, Mr. Ogilby was 

 led in this manner to suppose an Otine bird (Eupodotis bengalensis) 

 an inhabitant of these vast and precipitous and heavily wooded 

 mountains, and to name the species Hamalayensis, though it is really 

 as little capable of dwelling in such a habitat as is, I apprehend, 

 the Anth. papkia, or, more generally, any species of silkworm what- 

 ever. Silkworms abound south and east upon or near the level of 

 the plains, but I doubt if they pass the limits of Bengal in a north- 

 westerly direction, even upon the plains ; and, so far as I know, the 

 Cosi river is their limit in that direction ; nor do I believe they are 

 ever found, tame or wild, at elevations materially above the plain level 

 in Bengal or in Hindostan. In the Saul forest they may pass up 

 towards the north-west as far as that forest extends, or to Hurdwar. 

 But the Saul forest is hardly elevated at all above the level of the 

 adjacent plain ; and Cherra at 4000 and Darjeeling at 7000 differ 

 toto ccelo in characteristic productions, as in climate, from all places 

 situated on the low open level of the Gangetic plains. The Anth. 

 paphia avoids the open plain, as well as the mountainous heights ; 



* Captain Thomas Hutton, in the Journal of the Agri-Horticultural Society of 

 India for 1856, p. 166, says, " I doubt this, because I have fully ascertained that 

 the species known as Actias selene, which is furnished on the shoulder of each 

 wing with a hard brown spine for the purpose of dividing the threads, likewise 

 discharges a moistening liquid ; and although, as in Saturnia" (i. e. Anthereea), 

 " it is said to have no mouth, yet it is nevertheless from the mouth, or the place 

 where it should be, that the solvent is discharged. The mouth is an imperfect 

 mouth only, and is not organized for the reception of nourishment, althotigh suf- 

 ficiently perfect, it would appear, to secrete the liquid with which the threads are 

 moistened. When the agglutinizing matter is thus dissolved, the threads are 

 easily separated by the wing spines, and an opening afforded for the egress of the 

 moth. I have this season watched this process in no fewer than 200 specimens 

 of Actias selene, and can answer for there being no mistake about the matter, a 

 drop of the clear colourless liquid often remaining upon the tuft of hair or down 

 on the forehead between the eyes, and which tuft appears to be used as a brush 

 for the application of the solvent to the threads of the cocoon." 



