THE HUMMINGBIRD MOTHS 285 



were evidently developed to match the lonof-tongued insects. 

 Some of these flowers, like the jimson weed and nicotina, 

 open late in the day so as to be ready for these evening 

 visitors. In some cases, especially in the orchids, there is a 

 special partnership established between one species of flower 

 and one species of sphinx moths. The tobacco sphinx is 

 an instance of such partnership; this moth visits tobacco flowers 

 and helps develop the seeds by carrWng pollen from flower to 

 flower; and in turn it lays its eggs upon the leaves of this plant 

 on which its great caterpillar feeds and waxes fat, and in high 

 dudgeon often disputes the smoker's sole right to the "weed." 



"Tender trifler with the breezes. 

 Two-sailed argosy of spring, 

 Clothed on may-flies' slender fleeces, 

 Thou incarnate loitering! 



What desire and what endeavor 



Flauntest thou upon thy breast, 

 With those diamond eyes that ever 



Flame upon adventurous quest ? 



Wings with peacock eyes enamelled, 



Btunished fury glittering, 

 I have caught thee, thou are trammelled. 



Thou art lost imto the spring. 



In my fingers' curious pressure 



Thou art dust upon my thumb, 

 I have robbed thee of thy treasure, 



And thy winking wings are dumb." 



From "A Moth" by Nathan Caleb House pubHshed in The 

 Poetry Journal. 



