Page:Jardine Naturalist's Library Exotic Moths.djvu/85

Rh any will supply them with a greater number of new objects, or afford a wider field for interesting observation. The history of a large proportion of the moths of which we possess figures and descriptions in the perfect state, is entirely unknown to us. The appearance of the larva, its habits, food, metamorphoses, &c. have either never been noticed or not recorded. Of many, we are acquainted with only one sex; and in many cases, there is such a disparity between the male and female, that there is reason to believe that not a few, now regarded as distinct species, stand merely in that relation to each other. The subject, too, is far from being void of interest in an economical point of view. There is every reason to believe that there are indigenous moths in most countries capable of affording excellent silk; which, even although it might not supersede that afforded by the mulberry moth, might yet be converted to many useful purposes. Although much, as will be afterwards seen, has recently been done in India in manufacturing silk from a great variety of species, there is still strong inducement for further experiments and investigation, particularly in reference to those of large size, for if their produce could be made available, it might be so managed as to obtain it in almost any quantity.