MOTHS OF THE LIMBERLOST 



which I knew them in childhood, or that we of Limberlost 

 Cabin have bestowed upon them. 



Most of these studies were possible by making them of 

 the moths as soon after their emergence from the cocoon 

 or pupa case as their wings were fully developed, dry and 

 hardened, but before circulation was sufficiently estab- 

 lished for them to take flight. At this time they could be 

 reproduced at full beauty, not a scale of down displaced, 

 their markings the brightest they ever would be, and 

 as they climbed naturally with wings lifted, half open or 

 widespread. Often the camel's-hair brush had to be 

 called into use to fluff down that had dried in tufts, an 

 office that the air performs in flight. The difference 

 between these perfect living creatures, and the shrivelled, 

 pin-pierced subjects of the illustration of any moth book 

 I possess, is the difference between abundant life and 

 repulsive death. 



To one point I wish to call especial attention. In the 

 case of Luna, Modesta or any moth that has much 

 white or gray, the colour is changed a faint shade by the 

 creamy paper. The whites are not the pure white they 

 should be, the grays take on a brownish cast. With a 

 moth having any shade of yellow or of the numerous 

 tans, browns, reds or black, the work of the engraver 

 comes out with a mellow velvet softness added from 

 having been printed on this paper. In summing up the 

 entire illustration I found four moths slightly changed 



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