MOTHS OF THE LIMBERLOST 



ing in the fastnesses of the swamp, gave to it a name, 

 afterward to be on the hps of milhons ; to him it was 

 deadly poison. To me it has been of unspeakable in- 

 terest, unceasing work of joyous nature, and meat in 

 full measure, with occasional sweetbreads by way of a 

 treat. 



Primarily, I went to the swamp to study and repro- 

 duce the birds. I never thought they could have a 

 rival in my heart. But these fragile night wanderers, 

 these moon-flowers of June's darkness, literally "thrust 

 themselves upon me." When my cameras were placed 

 before the home of a pair of birds, the bushes parted to 

 admit light, and clinging to them I found a creature, 

 often having the bird's sweep of wing, of colour pale 

 green with decorations of lavender and yellow or running 

 the gamut from palest tans to darkest browns, with 

 markings of pink or dozens of other irresistible combi- 

 nations of colour, the feathered folk found a com- 

 petitor that often outdistanced them in my affections, 

 for I am captivated easily by colour, and beauty of 

 form. 



At first, because these moths made studies of exquisite 

 beauty, I merely stopped a few seconds to reproduce 

 them, before proceeding with my work. Soon I found 

 myself filhng the waiting time, when birds were slow in 

 coming before the cameras, when clouds obscured the 

 light too much for fast exposures, or on gray days, by 



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