48 NEW HAMPSHIRE 



appearance was ordinary enough ; no doubt it 

 was common ; but it was an insect, and hit or 

 miss I took it in. And in due course it went 

 into the entomologist's hands with the rest of 

 the catch. She emptied the vial, and passed an 

 unexciting comment or two upon the few flies 

 and beetles it contained ; perhaps she remarked 

 that one of them might be worth mounting — I 

 do not remember precisely; it was a way she 

 had of egging me on ; but the next morning she 

 said : " You did n^ teU me anything about the 

 lovely moth you took yesterday." I was obliged 

 to stop and think. " Oh, that little black-and- 

 white thing," I said. Yes, that was the one — 

 *' new to the summit." If I was not proud, then 

 pride does not dwell in earthly minds. This, I 

 confide, was not my only contribution to the 

 fauna of our highest New England mountain ; 

 I seem to remember a short-winged beetle also ; 

 but the moth, being in the Lepidoptera, is my 

 especial glory. I wish I could recall its name, 

 that I might print it here for the reading of 

 future generations. 



With such pursuits did I improve the spare 

 hours of my Mount Washington week. I have 

 no thought of boasting. At least I would not 

 seem to do so. It was little enough that I accom- 

 plished, or could hope to accomplish, hampered 



