INTRODUCTION. 
The silkworm is a native of China. The silk 
industry was first introduced into Europe about the 
middle of the sixth century (552 A. D.), by two 
Persian monks, who brought a few silkworm's eggs 
from China in a hollow cane, in order to avoid 
detection. The worms proceeding from these eggs 
were carefully reared by the monks until they spun 
cocoons. They were the ancestors of those count- 
less numbers of silkworms now in existence in 
Europe and Western Asia. 
The silkworm is the caterpillar of the silkworm 
moth, which belongs to the family Bombycidce, 
genus Bombyx, of that branch of lepidopterous in- 
sects known as moths. Like all other insects, it un- 
dergoes two complete transformations during its 
lifetime. 
The full-grown worm is two and a half or three 
inches long. If now examined, it will be ascertained 
to have sixteen legs arranged in pairs : the first three 
pairs are attached to the first three rings of the body, 
and are called " true legs," being the only ones that 
are retained in the moth state ; the next three rings 
of the body are without legs; the other five pairs of 
