Night-Butterflies and Day -Moths, 1 79 



Even so, too, is it with the moths. Scripture saith that it 

 "corrupts." So it does at any rate one moth, the 

 "clothes moth." They do corrupt. As Bacon would say, 

 they are "shrewd things" in a wardrobe yet only think 

 of the horrible "corruption" of which the good busy ex- 

 emplary ant is guilty ! 



One iniquitous insect, however, has brought down upon 

 the whole republic the everlasting condemnation of poetry. 

 There is one tiny drab carpet-creeping creature of which 

 the tiny grub, fearfully, eats cloth and clothes. Says 

 Quarles 



" Like moths their houses shall they build, in doubt 

 And danger, every hour, to be cast out." 



There are others just as inconsiderable, just as feeble in 

 colouring, which plunder other possessions of our lordly 

 race, apples and meal-bags for instance. 



But what is there in all the range of insect beauty to 

 excel our moths? What epithet appropriate to butterflies 

 is excessive when applied to moths ? For every " beautiful," 

 "painted," "gorgeous," "spangled" butterfly I will match 

 you with a moth. More than this, I will bring you moths 

 that shall defy all your butterflies to match for chastity of 

 colouring, for exquisite design, and perfect beauty. Do you 

 want audacious splendour of colouring or most delicately 

 dainty tracery ? Will you challenge me upon form or upon 

 hue ? I will meet you with such rare tints of all the colours 

 as shall beggar you to surpass, and for form such elfin 

 prettiness as shall be your despair. 



It is a mistake, then, to think, as most do, that evening- 

 flying moths are dull-coloured and dowdy, just as it is a 

 mistake to suppose that those birds of wondrously beautiful 

 plumage, the owls and night-jars, are unworthy of admiration. 

 We have very few birds to equal them in the loveliness of 

 their feathers and their colouring. 



