MOTHS OF THE LIMBERLOST 



the moth beating in flight, we copiously punctured it with 

 as large holes as we dared, and bound the lid securely. 

 On the way home we searched the lilies and roadside for 

 a mile, but could find no trace of another moth. Indeed, 

 it seemed a miracle that we had found this one late in 

 August, for the time of their emergence is supposed to 

 be from middle May to the end of June. Professor 

 Rowley assures me that in rare instances a moth will 

 emerge from a case or cocoon two seasons old, and find- 

 ing this one, and the Luna, prove it is well for nature 

 students to be watchful from May until October. 

 Because these things happened to me in person, I made 

 bold to introduce the capture of a late moth into the 

 experience of Edith Carr in the last chapter of "A Girl 

 of the Limberlost." I am joointing out some of these 

 occurrences as I come to them, in order that you may 

 see how closely I keep to life and truth, even in books 

 exploited as fiction. There may be such incidents that 

 are pure imagination incorporated; but as I write I can 

 recall no instance similar to this, in any book of mine, 

 that is not personal experience, or that did not happen to 

 other people within my knowledge, or was not told me 

 by some one whose word I consider unquestionable; 

 allowing very little material indeed, on the last provision. 

 There is one other possibility to account for the 

 moth at this time. Beyond all question the gorgeous 

 creature is of tropical origin. It has made its way north 



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