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THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



eight broods annually. The cocoons are cylindrical, pointed at both ends, 

 and loose and flossy, orange or white. The larvse are of two different colours ; 

 the green larva producing white cocoons, and the cream coloured, orange-red 

 cocoons. The fibre is one-half finer than that of the Indian Tussur, and one- 

 third coarser than that of the ordinary silk of commerce. Mr. Michael 

 Atkinson describes the cloth made from this silk to be very durable, a garment 

 made of this material lasting considerably longer than an ordinary person's 

 lifetime. This silk is extensively used for carding and spinning. 



The Ailanthus silkworm is produced by Attacus cynthia, which is indigenous 

 to, and came originally from, the north of China. The larvae feed on 

 Ailanthus glandulo&a, and the cocoons are pale brown, cylindrical, tapering 

 obliquely to a point at the end where the • moth emerges, sometime at both 

 ends, with an impression of the leaves of the tree on which the larvse have 

 fed, and often with a leaf or leaflet imbedded on the surface of the cocoon, 

 and with a very slight trace of a pedicle. The cocoons were first brought 

 to Europe in November, 1856, and very great efforts have been made in 

 France and elsewhere to utilise this silk, but without success. The fibre is 

 three-eights coarser than that of the ordinary silk of commerce, and one- 

 fourth finer than that of the Indian Tussur. This species produces one 

 brood annually. It is acclimatised in France. Yarieties exist in many collec- 

 tions under the name of Attacus ricini. 



The Atlas moth (Attacus atlas J is indigenous to India, Burmah, Java, 

 Ceylon, and China. It is one of the largest of known moths, the wings being 

 frequently ten inches in expanse, and one in the collection of Mr. Thomas 

 Hague, of Stalybridge, measured thirteen inches in expanse. The larvse feed 

 on the barberry and many other plants. The cocoon is a light umber or 

 drab, with an impress of the leaves of the plant on which the larva fed, and 

 very often with a leaf embedded, roughly granular, scarcely at all silky or 

 floccose, except at the mouth, which, being left ungummed, forms a natural 

 orifice, and is soft and flossy ; thus the cocoon is not closed, and the exit of 

 the moth does not leave any disturbance or disarrangement of the fibres. 

 The outside fibre is coarser than that of the ordinary silk of commerce by a 

 little over one-third, and the inner fibre is one-third finer than that of the 

 Indian Tussur. A small quantity of the silk was reeled in the Royal Jubilee 

 Exhibition. 



The Emperor moth (Satumia carpini) is found on all our moors and mosses 

 where heather abounds. It constructs a very beautiful cocoon ; the fibres 

 are round, except where they come in contact with each other, when they 

 become flat, no doubt from pressure whilst in their soft state, and owing to 



