24 
THE ART OF REARING 
membranaceous, (Chap. I.) ; like all other cater- 
pillars it has neither red nor warm blood, and, 
consequently, its warmth is always equal to the 
temperature of the atmosphere in which it lives : it 
has eighteen organs of respiration, as I stated above. 
Many wrinkles are perceptible behind its 
head, a small horn is placed on the last ring, at 
the other extremity, and it has two reservoirs of 
silk, which unite in one aperture, through which 
it draws the thread ; and the colour of these re- 
servoirs is of rather a dirty white, particularly as 
they increase. 
A very useful peculiarity in the silk-worm is, 
that it never quits the leaf, nor the skeleton of 
the leaf upon which it has been deposited, even 
when hungry. The insect only rambles at the mo- 
ment of its birth, before it has got the mulberry- 
leaf to feed on ; and when it has done feeding, and 
is mature, and feels the wish of beginning its co- 
coon ; or, lastly, when it is diseased. Excepting 
in these three cases, it is never seen to wander, 
but feeds on steadily without even going from 
one end of the table, or tray, to the other. 
Sometimes several silk-worms fasten to the in- 
side edge of the tray, and even on the rim if they 
are hungry ; but as soon as they perceive the 
smell of the leaves they go down. These move- 
ments commonly occur in the first stages of their 
existence. It might be said with truth, that ex- 
