THE GHOST MOTH'S ECSTASY 



approach, and will twirl and gyrate within a foot of 

 your kindled match or taper. There seems to be 

 little or no rivalry or jealousy between the dancers, 

 though they are near enough at times to brush and 

 strike against one another, as in the excitement of 

 the performance they will strike sharply against grass 

 heads, thereby losing, no doubt, some of the white 

 satin dust from their sheeny wings. They appear, 

 sometimes, just to be conscious for a moment or two 

 of each other, but no more. 



But what is the aim, the end of the dance ; what 

 does it really signify? It is just a display by the 

 male ghost moth of the beauty of his wings and 

 colours to secure the favourable notice of the female 

 ghost moth this is the accepted theory, and cer- 

 tainly, if it fail us, there is nothing else at present to 

 take its place. But, though we accept the theory, 

 even hug it in the study, doubt will creep into the 

 mind, after we have watched these ecstatic exercises 

 in the mysterious monochrome. Where is the lady 

 ghost, with the curious map-like marks on her 

 duskier wings, watching with admiration or desire ? 

 Why do so many dances begin and end without a 

 sign of her ? 



Why this special performance when the heart and 

 dart moth, the brimstones and the shells, which we 

 met with on our way to the dancing ground of the 

 ghosts, can attain their object by featureless flights 

 along the hedgerow, up and down the lane ? And, 

 in any case, outside the common form, the common 

 place of our theory, may there not be a whole 



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