It
has no raised tongue case, although it belongs to the family of
`long tongues.'
On learning all I could acquire by experience with these moths,
and what the books had to teach, I became their warm admirer. One
sunny morning climbing the hill on the way to the cardinals, with
fresh plates in my cameras, and high hopes in my heart, I passed
an unsuually large fine thistle, with half a dozen Thysbe moths
fluttering over it as if nearly crazed with fragrance, or honey
they were sipping.
"Come here! Come here! Come here!" intoned the cardinal, from
the sycamore of Rainbow Bottom.
"Just you wait a second, old fellow!" I heard myself answering.
Scarcely realizing what I was doing, the tripod was set up, the
best camera taken out, and focused on that thistle head. The
moths paid no attention to bees, butterflies, or humming-birds
visiting the thistle, but this was too formidable, and by the
time the choicest heads were in focus, all the little red fellows
had darted to another plant.
Pages:
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215