in many countries. But most caterpillars have only three moltings. Here I may remark that we define two periods in the moltings: the first, when the worms cease to take food, when we say that they lie down; and the second, when they lay aside their envelope, which we call their getting up. We also say, when we smother them with hot water, that they are taking a bath.
Fig. 1.—Collecting the Leaves.
Climbing the trees, the village boys
Fill the air with the songs of their age;
Each of the trees has its owner,
But every one respects his neighbor's.
The living leaf flies to-day into our basket.
And the zephyr is less quick than the hand that gathers it.
I am not acquainted with the significance of these terms, to lie down, get up, and take a bath; but I suppose that those who are charged with the duty of raising the Worms wish to give them an orderly regimen.[1] The quality of our silk and the
- ↑ The verse subjoined to our second illustration expresses the same thought as the remark of General Teheng-Ki-Tong, that, to preserve the luster of the silk, the worms that
