cr own readers

1 6 SI LKWOR~IS .
birth, is termed the " hair sleep," and lasts but one
day. The second sleep takes place on th e eighth or
the nin th day , and th e third on the fourteenth. The
fourth and last sleep, which takes place about the
twenty-second day , is styled th e " great sleep," in consequence
of its long duration.
5. During each period of sleep, th e worms cast their
skins j and after getting rid of th eir old skins, th ey
grow very quickly in size and strength. When they
have reach ed th e age of thirty-two days, th ey are full-
Ft"LL-GROWN' SILKWORll.
grown, each being about two inches in length, and
almost as thick as a man 's little finger. Th ey are
then of an amb er colour. At this stage th ey cease
to take food, and begin to spin th eir silk cocoons.
6. In spinning, they move th eir head first to the one
side and th en to th e other, and continue this operation
until the whole body has been enveloped in a cocoon
or case of silk. Th e tim e which a worm requires to
accomplish this labour is from three to five days ; and
as soon as it has enclosed itself in th e cocoon, it falls