of the mica-like material and joins up the vacant space, spins more silky substance to complete the cocoon under the outer coating, and, after thus hermetically sealing itself in a heat-resisting capsule, inside which is a beautifully soft cocoon, it prepares to undergo its metamorphosis, which keeps it dormant for seven weeks, when of the silk it has formed wings and other appendages. It then exudes some colourless liquid which sinks to the bottom of the capsule and dissolves it, when the winged male and female with which we started appear, and the same life-history is repeated. Godfrey left many of the cocoons undisturbed in order that the stock should be kept up, the remainder being taken and made into threads, which were again twisted into long strands and placed on rollers or bobbins, and stored ready for weaving. Prolific as the insects were, all this occupied a considerable time, and over eighteen months passed before sufficient material was obtained for the actual weaving to be commenced. In the meantime, experiments had been conducted with the cocoons in all stages, and it was found that the best results came from those taken about three weeks after the sealing. These strands resisted all temperatures, even that which volatilises steel; but again did a difficulty arise. The strands were perfectly opaque, even to the intense brilliancy of the sun, consequently, if woven so tightly as to present a close web of fibres, though the object could be achieved by the production of a heat-resisting material, it would be defeated in its attainment, for nothing would be visible through the cloth. It would therefore be necessary to have a net of sufficiently wide mesh to enable the travellers to see plainly through it, yet not wide enough to admit heat. This compelled a further long series of experiments in order to ascertain how far the strands were effective outside their own substance in certain temperatures. These experiments were the most delicate and elaborate of all, for the heat of the sun is beyond terrestrial calculation, all Earth-knowledge ending at the fact that all metals known on Earth and many others undiscovered by science exist there as thin vapour, and temperatures of metals become unregisterable at their volatilisation. Allowance had therefore to be made for temperatures thousands of times greater than the highest obtainable on Earth, and even when this was done, the result might prove altogether inadequate to the heat that would be encountered—a terrestrial estimation of which could, at the best, be nothing more than a wild guess.