The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-06-27
Anatomy of the Silk Worm.

Assisted by the microscope, the min
ute internal mechanism of that utilized
worm has been perfectly demonstrated.
As soon as it is Matched voracious ap-
petite is manifested. This led men in
early, far-off times of oriental civiliza-
tion, to take advantage of their unsatis
fed hunger, to turn the product OF their
labors to the benefit of humanity.
The voracity of the silk. worm has
reference to law of their nature, on
which the perpetuity of the race de-
pends. Nature is always careful to
make positive provision for the repro
duction of each and every species of liv-
ing thing which has been created, till
the object of their existence has been
attained, when, for aught we know to
the contrary, they disappear forever,
like the lamented dodo, for which natur-
alists are still in mourning.
Silk worms eat almost without cessa-
ton, provided appropriate food is placed
before them, from their exit from the
shell up to certain point, when they
stop suddenly-as though they were
full and could hold no more. In the
meanwhile they are growing in size
rapidly, SO that, besides being nourished
by certain properties belonging to the
mulberry leaf, there is elaborated a clear,
transparent fluid, which is secreted from
the homogeneous mass in their stomach,
and conducted by two very long, coiled
membranous tubes to two curiously-
formed reservoirs, lying on each side of
the body. They have slight SEM
blance to shot pouches. When they
stop feeding, those sacks are filed to
their utmost capacity.
At that juncture silk worm culturists
say the worm dies as soon as it
spins o cocoon. That is mistaken
idea. The worm does not die, but makes
rapid preparation for passing through a
remarkable metamorphosis, by develop
ing into winged insect. The two
sacks have extremely fine, attenuated
pipes extending from them to two min
ute orifces Just under the mouth, but
not opening in it as some have supposed
The worm on feeling the notifying SEN
sation that the evolution of wings, legs
and proboscis are ready to begin tC
shoot into proportions, contracts the
walls of its body on the sacks-forcine
the pent up fluid to flow onwardly
Just as it arrives at the orifces where il
comes into the open air, it passes through
two little glandular carbuncles-smallel
than the smallest pin head, which pour
secretion peculiar to themselves, which
on mixing with the tiny current O
clear fluid from the reservoirs, in ;
twinkling of an eye changes it into {
tenacious silk thread. On one side o
the glands the fluid is thin and trans
parent, on the other it Is a strong fibre
Probably its exit into the atmospher
contributes something towards the con
version.
A more curious chemical phenomenon
has never been recognized. 1t has III
parallel in entomology, unless it is par
TALLY found in the spider family, a sub
ject to be hereafter treated.
Spinning q cocoon, then, is simpl
winding itself round and round in a soft
silken, tiossy material extruded from ii
own body. The muscular apparatus b
alton would be a study for a colleg
theme, and q puzzle for many big wig
Left to itself, unmolested, the appal
emily dead worm-now in a chrysali
state--that is, in profound slcel
breathes all the while through spiracl,
or openings on each side, which CORES
pond with orifces in its new bod
about coming forth. The thick coat ,
fat, equivalent to blubber under tI
skin of whale, is absorbed for foe
while the change is progressing. Whe
exhausted, the perfect butterfly is finisl
ed-stretches out its folded limbs, burs
open the old dry outside worm covering
crawls out of the cocoon and fits ava
among the flowers, if not kept prisol
er. 1t is the policy of silk worm grow
ers to do so. The female soon begins
extrude an immense volume of egg
When that has been concluded, the fin
cause of life with them has been accon
plished. Another generation of 81
worms has been secured and death the
closes the scene.
Thus an humble, unsightly worm
an instrument in the hands of man f
clothing queens and furnishing gorgeo
hangings for palaces. 1t is one of Il
links in the golden chain of natu
which demonstrates the mutual depen
ence of one order of beings upon anoth
for necessaries in one case, comforts
another, and the refnements viii
characterize the highest grade of. civi
zation. A silk worm, low as it is, fee
ing on the margin of a mulberry leaf,
a benefactor to the world and indispe
sable to the stability of institutions al
manufactures which are SMILES
wealth, taste, and artistic elegance.