NEW SILK WORM DISCOVERED ON THE PIPUL TREE. 
649 
the size : the cocoon has this peculiarity, that 
it is quite transparent, so that the chrysalis 
can be seen inside. Atone end of it a small 
opening is left : the cocoon is of a yellow co- 
lour; it can be spun like the eria cocoon, 
but the Assamese do not use it, on account of 
its silk causing a severe itching in wearing. 
I have questioned several Bengalees settled 
in Assam, and who have been at Midnapnr, 
regarding the identity of tlie mooga and tus- 
sur s they say that the w'orm is the same, but 
that at the latter place they are fed on a 
different tree. I’he point could be better 
ascertained by a comparison with the draw- 
ings and pjcserved worms rvhich accompany 
these remarks. The Burmese envoys who 
have just left Assam told me that the moog^a 
was unknown in their country previous to the 
conquest of but that it had since been 
introduced by ih.e Assamese who were carried 
off and settled in the Burmese territory. I'he 
Cachoris also admit that it is not many years 
since it was introfluced into Cachar (south of 
the hills). In Cooch Behar, both it and the eria 
are almost unknown to this day : the prevail- 
ing opinion amongst the natives of these patts 
is, that both species {mooga and eria) are in- 
digenous to Upper Assam, and were introduced 
from thence. It has always appeared to me 
that the production of these silks is greater as 
one advances to the east : it is to this day pro- 
curable more abundantly in Upper Assam xlmn 
anywhere else, especially in the district of 
Lukinpoor on the north bank of the Burham- 
pooturd’ 
“ In the within Mr. Hugon has said no- 
thing of another silk worm which was lately 
discovered on a pipul tree {F. religiosa), and 
of the moth of which a drawing accompanies, 
with three or four cocoons, a chrysalis, and 
two moths, d his looks very like the mulberry 
moth, but I am not able to say whether it is 
or not. The silk looks very fine, and it may 
be considered a curiosity, even if it be the 
produce of a mulberry worm, for the question 
arises on what was tiie worm fed?— it on the 
F. religiosa, it is, I believe, a discovery, that 
the silk worm would feed on the leaf ot any 
tree butthe mulberry; if the worm is distinct 
from the Bombyx mori, it is a still greater 
curiosity. 
Mr. Hugon has been unable to determine 
whether the worm now alluded to, is the 
same as tiie deo mooga mentioned within : he 
is inclined to think not, from the colour of tlie 
cocoons and the slight observations be was 
able to make on the latter ; but from both 
feeding on the leaves of two trees so nearly 
allied, I should suppose it likely that the 
worms were identical. It would be a dis- 
covery of some importance to find worms 
affording any tolerable silk, that fed on these 
species of Ficus which are so abundant here. 
— F. Jenkins.” 
LIST OF THE CLOTHS MADE IN ASSAM OF MOOGA AND ERIA SILKS. 
Names of 
Cloth. 
Size in 
Cubits. 
Weight. 
Price of 
Thread. 
Cost of 1 
Weaving. 
1 
Total. 
Seer. 
Chk. 
R. 
A. 
P. 
R. 
A. 
P. 
R. 
A. 
P. 
Mooga. 
Soorias, . . . . 
7 
by 
0 
6 
1 
14 
0 
0 
3 
0 
2 
1 
0 
Ditto 
16 
5 y 
2 
1 
0 
5 
0 
0 
0 
8 
0 
5 
8 
0 
Mekla 
5 
yy 
0 
4 
1 
4 
0 
0 
2 
0 
1 
6 
0 
Rhia, ... . . . . 
12 
yy 
U 
0 
8 
2 
8 
0 
0 
4 
0 
2 
12 
0 
Gaurshan, . . . 
8 
yy 
1 
0 
2 
0 
10 
0 
0 
1 
0 
0 
11 
0 
Joonta Bor 
Cappor, . . . 
12 
yy 
1 
0 
2 
0 
0 
0 
6 
0 
2 
6 
0 
Eria. 
Bor Cappor . . 
16 
by 
3 
1 
8 
3 
0 
0 
0 
8 
0 
3 
8 
0 
Meklas, .. 
.5 
yy 
2 
0 
6 
0 
12 
0 
0 
2 
0 
0 
14 
0 
Rhia, 
10 
yy 
H 
0 
8 
1 
0 
0 
0 
2 
0 
1 
2 
0 
Gaursha, ....'' 
8 
yy 
h 
0 
4 
0 
8 
0 
0 
2 
0 
0 
10 
0 
Remarks. 
i Dlioties. 
Petticoats. 
Scarfs. 
Worn as turbans, or 
round the vraist. 
Made of the floss & 
worn in winter. 
Worn in winter and 
used as a blanket; 
also made into coats. 
I Used only by the 
I poorer class. 
MEMORANDUM UPON THE SPECI- 
MENS OF SILK, AND SILKWORM 
FROM ASSAM. 
By W. PnrNSEP, Esq. 
The mooga or tussur cocoons are very fine, 
particularly those fed from the soom and the 
sohaloo trees, which are superior to the pro- 
duce of the jungles about Bankoora. 
The thread from these worms is quite equal 
to that which is used in the best China tussur 
cloths. 
The specimens of cloth wove from these 
threads are not equal, however, either to the 
Bengal tussur cloih, or to the C/iina cloth 
of the same description. 
The eria cocoon, thread, and cloth, are all 
new to us : I have never seen them in Bengal 
