Handbook of the collection illustrative of the wild silks of India : in the Indian section of the South Kensington Museum, with a catalogue of the collection and numerous illustrations / by Thomas Wardle.

  • Thomas Wardle
Date:
1881
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Handbook of the collection illustrative of the wild silks of India : in the Indian section of the South Kensington Museum, with a catalogue of the collection and numerous illustrations / by Thomas Wardle. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    6,500 feet. The worms appear in April, feeding upon a species of wild-pear tree ; spins a thin silken cocoon. JSTeoris Shadulla (Moore).—Yarkand. Neoris Stoliczkana (Felder).—Ladak. Saturnia Cidosa (Moore). Hot valleys of the Sikkim Himalayas. Saturnia Grotei (Moore).—Sikkim Himalayas. Saturnia Lindia (Moore).—Sikkim Himalayas. Saturnia Anna (Moore).—Sikkim Himalayas. Loepa katinka (Westwood).—Sikkim, 5,000 to 7,000 feet. Assam. Loepa Sikkima (Moore).—Hot valleys of Sikkim. Loepa sivcdica (Hutton.)—Mussooree, 5,000 feet. Spins a long cocoon, pointed at each end, and of a dark greenisli- grey colour. Loepa miranda (Moore).—Sikkim Himalayas. Cricula trifenestrata (Heifer); the Haumpottonee of the Assamese.—Noted as being very common in Assam, the worms feeding on the soon tree, forming an open net-like cocoon of a beautiful yellow colour and of a rich lustre, the silk being spun in the same manner as the Eria cocoon. Occurs also in Moulmein, where the worms are stated to feed upon the cashew-nut tree (Anacardium orientate). Cricula drepanoides (Moore).—Sikkim. To this number may be added a few others which, although not of India, are well worth the attention of the Government of India for the purpose of acclimatisation there. Anthercea, Pernyi (Guer. Mdn.)—The oak-feeding silk- worm of Mantchouria, N. China. This is described as having been long known to the Mantchour Tartars, very large quantities of the silk used among the Chinese. The worms feed on various species of oak (Quercus Mongolica, &c.), the cocoon differing from the Tusser in form and texture. The silk is represented as strong, but with little lustre. Two crops of silk are produced in the year—a spring and autumn crop. Anthercea Confuci (Moore).—A species allied to A. pernyi, inhabiting the hills in the neighbourhood of Shangh ai, N. China. Anthercea Yama-mai (Gudrin Menevillc).—The Ycima- mai silkworm of Japan. An oak-feeding species, forming a cocoon of a pale yellowish-green colour. This worm feeds on the oak, and produces excellent silk of considerable commercial value in Japan. I should strongly recommend its introduction into