MOTHS OF THE LIMBERLOST 



and promiscuously waved the net over the bushes with 

 the other. 



During the first exposure, Modesta was allowed to 

 place and poise herself as seemed natural. For a second, 

 I used the brush on her gently, and coaxed her wings 

 into spreading a little wider than was natural. These 

 positions gave every evidence of being pleasing and 

 yet I was not satisfied. There was something else in 

 the back of my head that kept obtruding itself as I 

 walked to the Cabin, with the beautiful moth clinging 

 to my fingers. I did not feel quite happy about her, 

 so she was placed in a large box, lined with corrugated 

 paper, to wait a while until the mist in my brain cleared, 

 and my nebulous disturbance evolved an idea. It came 

 slowly. I had a caterpillar long ago, and had investi- 

 gated the history of this moth. I asked Raymond where 

 he found her and he said, "Coming from the game." 

 Now I questioned him about the kind of a tree, and he 

 promptly answered, "On one of those poplars behind 

 the schoolhouse. " 



That was the clue. Instantly I recognized it. A 

 poplar limb was what I wanted. Its fine, glossy leaf, 

 flattened stem, and smooth upright twigs made a setting, 

 appropriate, above all others, for the INIodest moth. 



I explained the situation to the Deacon, and he had 

 Brenner drive with him to the Hirschj^ farm, and help 

 secure a limb from one of the very few Lombardy pop- 



307 



