MOTHS OF THE LIMBERLOST 



This also has been the case with the women who wrote, 

 "Caterpillars and their Moths," the most invaluable 

 work on the subject ever compiled. 



A captive moth feels and resents her limitations. I 

 cannot force one to mate even in a large box. I must 

 free her in the conservatory, in a room, or put her on an 

 outside window or door screen. Under these conditions 

 one will place her eggs more nearly as in freedom; but 

 this makes them difficult to find and preserve. Placed 

 in a box and forced by nature to deposit her eggs, as a 

 rule, she will remain in one spot and heap them up until 

 she is forced to move to make room for more. One big 

 female Regalis of the last chapter of this book placed 

 them a thimbleful at a time; but the little caterpillars 

 came rolling out in all directions when due. In my 

 experience, they finish in four or five nights, although I 

 have read of moths having lived and placed eggs for ten, 

 some species being said to have deposited over a thousand. 

 Seven days is usually the limit of life for these big night 

 moths with me; they merely grow inactive and sluggish 

 until the very last, when almost invariably they are 

 seized with a muscular attack, in which they beat them- 

 selves to rags and fringes, as if resisting the overcoming 

 lethargy. It is because of this that I have been forced 

 to resort to the gasoline bottle a few times when I found 

 it impossible to paint from the living moth; but I do not 

 put one to sleep unless I am compelled. 



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