From the middle of May to the end of June of the year
I was most occupied with this book, my room was filled
with cocoons and pupa cases. The encased moths
I had reason to believe were on the point of appearing
lay on a chair beside my bed or a tray close my pillow.
That month I did not average two hours of sleep in
a night, and had less in the daytime. I not
only arose `betimes,’ but at any time I heard
a scratching and tugging moth working to enter the
world, and when its head was out, I was up and ready
with note-book and camera. Day helped the matter
but slightly, for any moth emerging in the night had
to be provided a location, and pictured before ten
o’clock or it was not safe to take it outside.
Then I had literally ‘to fly’ to develop
the plate, make my print and secure exact colour reproduction
while the moth was fresh.
For this is a point to remember in photographing a
moth. A freelivingmothneverraisesitswingshigherthan
A straightlinefromthebasescrossingthetopofthethorax.
It requires expert and adept coaxing to get them
horizontal with their bases. If you do, you
show all markings required; and preserve natural values,
quite the most important things to be considered.
I made a discovery with Carolina. Moths having
digestive organs and that are feeders are susceptible
to anaesthetics in a far higher degree than those
that do not feed. Many scientific workers confess
to having poured full strength chloroform directly
on nonfeeders, mounted them as pinned specimens and
later found them living; so that sensitive lepidopterists
have abandoned its use for the cyanide or gasoline
jar. I intended to give only a whiff of chloroform
to this moth, just enough that she would allow her
tongue to remain uncoiled until I could snap its fullest
extent, but I could not revive her. The same
amount would have had no effect whatever on a non-feeder,
CHAPTER XII Bloody-nose of Sunshine Hill: Hemaris Thysbe
John Brown lives a mile north of our village, in the
little hamlet of Ceylon. Like his illustrious
predecessor of the same name he is willing to do something
for other people. Mr. Brown owns a large farm,
that for a long distance borders the Wabash River where
it is at its best, and always the cameras and I have
the freedom of his premises.
On the east side of the village, about half its length,
swings a big gate, that opens into a long country
lane. It leads between fields of wheat and corn
to a stretch of woods pasture, lying on a hillside,
that ends at the river. This covers many acres,
most of the trees have been cut; the land rises gradually
to a crest, that is crowned by a straggling old snake
fence, velvety black in places, grey with lint in
others, and liberally decorated its entire length
