Ha! -- 'skull-and-crossbones motive' indeed -- talk about subconscious
anthropocentricity! (Is that a proper word, by the way?)
I should of course have said 'skull-and-crossbones motif'.
joanna
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joanna Boulter" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2006 12:27 PM
Subject: Re: Snap March 18 - the hawk moths
>I once saw a Death's Head Hawk Moth. Largest moth in Europe, I believe, and
>a not too common migrant to Britain. This one appeared on the wall of the
>village shop one spring when I was about seven. The postmistress sent a
>runner to ask my dad what it was, him being the schoolmaster; and he walked
>all 40 pupils in the school up to see it for an impromptu natural history
>lesson.
>
> I'll never forget the sight of that huge dark creature, stretched out
> against the whitewashed wall, with the skull-and-crossbones motive plain
> on its shoulders. Quite sinister, in an anthropocentric way.
>
> joanna
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