MOTHS OF THE LIMBERLOST 



leaf and covering it with silk, drew it together so that 

 nothing could be seen of the work inside. They began 

 spinning some on the forty-second, some on the forty- 

 third day, when about three inches in length and plump 

 to bursting. I think at a puncture in the skin they 

 would have spurted like a fountain. They began spin- 

 ning at night and were from sight before I went to them 

 the following morning. 



Because they were much care to tend I had released 

 most of the caterpillars, only keeping six spinners; but 

 all of them were healthful and their cases fine pieces of 

 work. I had reason to guard them with especial care, for 

 on developing my plates, for the first time in my expe- 

 rience, I found myself the victim of a cracked plate holder 

 slide. A streak of light crossed the lower half of one 

 plate and one wing of the male moth. That was a great 

 disappointment, but I expected to overcome it with 

 many studies from the half dozen cocoons I now had. So 

 I hunted a box and packed them away with utmost care, 

 instead of keeping them in the Dragon and Bird vase as 

 I had the others. 



The result of this especial attention was disastrous. 

 I selected a box in which some mounted moths had been 

 sent me by a friend in Louisiana, and when I went to 

 examine my cocoons toward spring, to my horror I found 

 the contents of the box chopped to pieces and totally 

 destroyed. Pestiferous little "clothes" moths must 



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