MOTHS OF THE LIMBERLOST 



made on it, or rather on the places it had been, for it was 

 extremely restless and difficult to handle. Two plates 

 were spoiled for me by my subject walking out of focus, 

 as I snapped, but twice it was caught broadside in good 

 position. 



While I was working with this caterpillar, there came 

 one of my clearest cases of things that "thrust themselves 

 upon me." I would have preferred to concentrate all 

 my attention on the caterpillar, for it was worth wliile; 

 but in the midst of my work a katydid deliberately 

 walked do^vn the stump, and stopped squarely before the 

 lens to wash her face and make her toilet. She was on 

 the side of the stump, and so clearly outlined by the lens 

 that I could see her long wavering antennae on the ground 

 glass, and of course she took two plates before she re- 

 sumed her travels. I long had wanted a katydid for 

 an illustration. I got that one merely by using what 

 was before me. All I did was to swing the lens about six 

 inches, and shift the focus slightly, to secure two good 

 exposures of her in fine positions. My caterpillar almost 

 escaped while I worked, for it had put in tlie time climb- 

 ing to the ground, and was a yard away hurrying across 

 the grass at a lively pace. 



Two days later it stopped travelling, and pupated on 

 the top of the now hardened earth in the bucket that 

 contained the other two. It was the largest of the pupte 

 when it emerged, a big shining greenish brown thing 



353 



