The Great Peacock 



fectly closed, so as to establish a communica- 

 tion between the inner and the outer air. This 

 brings us back to the probability of an odour, 

 though that was contradicted by my experi- 

 ment with naphthaline. 



My stock of cocoons is exhausted and the 

 problem is still obscure. Shall I try again 

 another year, the fourth? I abandon the 

 thought for the following reasons: Moths 

 that mate at night are difficult to observe if I 

 want to watch their intimate actions. The 

 gallant certainly needs no illuminant to attain 

 his ends ; but my feeble human powers of vis- 

 ion cannot dispense with one at night. I must 

 have at least a candle, which is often extin- 

 guished by the whirling swarm. A lantern 

 saves us from these sudden eclipses; but its 

 dim light, streaked with broad shadows, does 

 not suit a conscientious observer like myself, 

 who wants to see and to see clearly. 



Nor is this all. The light of a lamp diverts 

 the Moths from their object, distracts them 

 from their business and, if persistent, gravely 

 compromises the success of the evening. The 

 visitors no sooner enter the room than they 

 make a wild rush for the flame, singe their 

 fluff in it and thenceforth, frightened by the 

 271 



