In and out of the yellow rays swam multitudes of night moths, glittering like flakes of tinsel as the lantern light flashed on their wings; and Scott was evidently doing satisfactory execution, for every moment or two Kathleen uncorked the cyanide jar and he dumped into it from the folds of the net a fluttering victim.
"That last one is a Pandorus Sphinx!" he said in great excitement to Kathleen, who had lifted the big glass jar into the lantern light and was trying to get a glimpse of the exquisite moth, whose wings of olive green, rose, and bronze velvet were already beating a hazy death tattoo in the lethal fumes.
"A Pandorus! Scott, you've wanted one so much!" she exclaimed, enchanted.
"You bet I have.

Pholus pandorus is pretty rare around here.

And I say, Kathleen, that wasn't a bad net-stroke, was it?
You see I had only a second, and I took a desperate chance." She praised his skill warmly; then, as he stood admiring his prize in the jar which she held up, she suddenly caught him by the arm and pointed: "Oh, quick! There is a hawk-moth over the pinks which resembles nothing we have seen yet!" Scott very cautiously laid his net level, stole forward, shining the lantern light full on the darting, hazy-winged creature, which was now poised, hovering over a white blossom and probing the honeyed depths with a long, slim proboscis.
"I thought it might be only a Lineata, but it isn't," he said excitedly.

"Did you ever see such a timid moth?
The slightest step scares the creature." "Can't you try a quick net-stroke sideways ?" Her voice was as anxious and unsteady as his own.
"I'm afraid I'll miss.

Lord but it's a lightning flier! Where is it now ?" "Behind you.