BOMBYCINA, a group of lepidopterous insects, which, in their metamorphosis, construct a cover ing or case, generally called a cocoon. Each tribe of the Bombyces produces a cocoon of a peculiar form. They are said to spin or weave their cocoon, and are usually styled silk-moths. The valuable product of the silk-moth is the cocoon ; and races have been produced differing much in their cocoons, but hardly at all in their, adult states. Several distinct species exist in China and India, some of which can be crossed with the ordinary silk-moth, Bombyx mori. This is be lieved to have been domesticated in China n.c. 2700. It was brought to Constantinople in the 6th century, whence it was carried into Italy, and in 1494 to France, and has since been transported to many countries, where food and selection have produced many varieties. It is only in some dis tricts of each country that eggs come to perfection. Captain Hutton was of opinion that at least six species have been domesticated. B. Cynthia feeds on the castor-oil plant, and spins very soft threads. Eastward of the city of Canton, on a range of bills called Lo-fau-sban, there are butterflies of large size, and night-moths of immense size and brilliant colouring, which are captured for trans mission to the Chinese court and for sale. One of these, the Bombyx Atlas, measures about 9 inches across ; the ground colour is a rich and varied orange-brown, and in the centre of each wing there is a triangular transparent spot, resembling a piece of mica. In their scientific classification, the Bombyces are arranged into eight stirpes or types, according to the forms of their larvm, and those known to occur in India have been classed into 105 genera and 272 species. The most important of these, in a social point of view, are the silk-producing moths, belonging to the genera Bombyx, Cricula, Salassa, Antherma, Actias, Satur nia, Attacus, Caligula, Neoris, Ocinara, Rhodia, Rinaca, Theophila, and Trilocha. At Simla, nine species of Bombyx, Saturnia, and Actias occur, nearly the whole of which might be turned to account in producing silk.
1. Bombyxmori, Linn., the common domesticated or Chinese silk-worm moth, the Sericaria mori of Blanchard, and the `pat' of Bengal. It is a native of China, but has been domesticated there and in Siam, India, Persia, France, America, and Italy. The tradition in China is that this was dis covered B.C. 2640, in the reign of the emperor Hwang-Te, by his queen. The culture now flourishes principally about Nankin, in lat. 32° N. ; but in India, into which it was early introduced, none of the silk filatures extend beyond 26° N. They have been found in a wild state in Kent in England, on shrubs, but the mulberry tree leaves are its favourite food.
2. Bombyx religiosa, Helfer, Deo-mooga, HIND., Joree, Hugo., is found in Assam and Cachar, but is supposed by Mr. Moore to be identical with B. Huttoni. This feeds on the Ficus Indica and Ficus religiosa. Its cocoon shows the finest fila ment, has very much lustre, is exceedingly smooth to the touch, and yields a silk, if not superior, yet certainly equal to that of B. marl. It has not been domesticated.
3. Bombyx liuttoni, 'Vesta:owl, is found in the Himalaya, about Mussoori, where it occurs abun dantly from the Doon up to at least 7000 feet. It feeds on the leaves of the wild mulberry, and breeds twice a year. It has not been domesticated, but feeds on the trees. It spins its cocoon on the leaf, which is enclosed ; the silk is very fine, and of a very pale yellow tint. It is found in the Western I I hnalaya in great profusion, at elevations of 3000 to 8000 feet above the sea-level. It occurs in the height of the rainy reason, when the hills are en veloped in dense mists. Its eggs are deposited on the trees, and subjected to the influence of the frosts and snows of those mountain winters. The Agri Horticultural Society of India declared that silk of the very best description can be obtained from its cocoons by careful reeling. The silk is fine and tough, though perhaps somewhat less soft and silky to tho touch than that of the Chinese worm, and was valued by the Dehli shawl merchants at 25s. the pound.