, ^ '<: s ir THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. BY HELEN S. CONANT WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. BOSTON: JAMES R. OSGOOD AND COMPANY, LATE TICKNOR & FIELDS, AND FIELDS, OSGOOD, & Co. 1875. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by TICKNOR AND FIELDS, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. UNIVERSITY PRESS : WET CH, BIGEI ow, & Co., CAMBRIDGE. PREFACE. IN offering this little volume to the public of youthful readers the author wishes to say that it has no claim to the completeness of a scientific treatise, but is merely the result of a summer's rambling through the woods and meadows of New England. It is, however, accurate as far as it goes. The illustrations have been drawn and engraved, with great care and accuracy, by MR. ALBERT C. RUSSELL, of Boston, from specimens in the author's col- lection, and all the descriptions have been carefully studied from nature. The volume is published with the .hope that it will awaken in boys and girls a greater interest in the study of a delightful branch of natural history ; and the author will be fully satisfied if other little folks find in reading it as much pleasure as it has already given to a little boy named Tom, for ' whom it was written, and to whom it is fondly dedicated by his MAMMA. 2051551 CONTENTS. Chapter Page, I. INTRODUCTORY i II. THE FIRST BUTTERFLY 6 III. FLOWERS AND BUTTERFLIES 14 IV. A RAINY MORNING 21 V. THE HILL-PASTURE ........ 25 VI. THE OLD CELLAR HOLE 32 VII. BUTTERFLY TALK . . ; . . . ... .37 VIII. THE RAIL SWAMP ....... 42 IX. CATERPILLARS AND CHRYSALIDS . . 49 X. THE DEN ROCKS . . . m[ . . 55 XI. AN EVENING WITH ANNIE WEBB . . . - -70 XII. JULY BUTTERFLIES 74 XIII. THE HAY-FIELD , ' ; . .82 XIV. HAL'S MISHAPS IN THE WOODS '93 XV. THE LITTLE WOOD-BROWNIES 100 XVI. SKIPPERS . . . 106 Vi CONTENTS. XVII. THE BOATING-PARTY. DRAGON-FLIES. . . . in XVIII. THE MOUNTAIN TRAMP 122 XIX. ABOUT MOTHS 138 XX. ABOUT MOTHS (Continued) 146 XXI. THE BUTTERFLY FESTIVAL 156 LIST. OF BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. Page Agrion, Beautiful . I2O Hippar " Common . . I2O " " Gigantic . . . 120 Arctia Acrea . . . ISO Lackey Argynnis Aphrodite . . 76 Libellu Bellona . 80 Lycsens " Idalia. 76 " " Myrina . ' 79 Melitas Attacus Cecropia i 146 Nymph " Luna 141 " " Polyphemus . . 146 Papilio " Promethea 146 it Ceratomia Quadricornis 155 M Colias Philodice 18 Polyom Cynthia Atalanta . 89 " Cardui . 89 " Huntera . 87 Sphinx, Danais Archippus . , . . ' 64 " Dryocampa Imperialis 72, 151 Thecla, Eudamus Tityrus . 107 Tinea, Hesperia Hobomok . . . 108 Vanesss " Leonardus . 109 " " Peckius 109 M Hipparchia Alope . 101 M " Boisduvallii . 103 Nephele . Semidia Lackey-Caterpillar Moths . a, Fairy Americana . Epixanthe L Pharos alis Disippe Ephestion Asterias . . Troilus Tumus matus Comyntas , Lucia Pseudargiolus Clear-winged . Quinquemaculatus genus it Antiopa . Comma Milberti . / Semicolon Page 100 . 103 IO2, 125 . 72 121 . 40 41 . 80 66, 74 74 3, 37 37 28 47 / 46 45 156 154 47 139 n 72,97 98 . 9 6 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. NE beautiful evening in the' early part of April, Rose and Hal Merton were standing to- gether under the big Elm-tree: which shaded the lawn in front of their father's house. They were looking down the long, hill, up which wound a narrow country road, that passed under" the wide-spreading branches of the Elm, and then twisted- off round the foot of the mountain. "Rose," said Hal, "I wonder what kind of a fellow- Cousin Tom is. I more than half wish father had. not invited him to spend the Summer with us." Rose smiled, and pointed down the road. "You will' 2 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. soon find out what kind of a fellow he is," said she, "for there comes the carriage." Hal and his sister turned and walked to the front gate, where they waited until Mr. Merton drove up and pre- sented Tom to his cousins. Tom Stewart was the only son of Mr. Merton's sister. His father was a wealthy Boston merchant, and Tom had passed all his life in the city home, his country experience being limited to Summer excursions with his parents to some fashionable resort. Close confinement to study, and lack of good, hearty exercise, had begun to show their effects upon Tom, and, although a tall, handsome boy of fourteen, he was pale and slender as a girl. It was to put color into his cheeks, and strength and vigor into his whole frame, that Mr. Stewart had sent him for the Summer to share the country sports of his cousins. Tom was quite homesick the first evening at the farm- house, and had but little appetite for the fresh biscuits and baked apples and cream his Aunt Merton had pre- pared for his supper. Even the kind attention of Rose failed to cheer him up, and he was glad when the time came to take his candle and go up stairs to the neat little chamber he was to occupy during the Summer. When Tom waked the next morning all the homesick- ness of the previous evening fell back heavy on his heart. He thought he never could and never would like the THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 3 country, or anything about it. But by the time he was ready to go down to breakfast, the fresh air and clear morning sunlight began to exercise an exhilarating effect upon his spirits. Hal was whistling a lively tune out under the Elm, and Rose was singing as she sat at work on the front doorstep. " Good morning, Tom," said she ; " are you rested yet ? Mother has saved breakfast for you, and I guess that by this time you must be very hungry." " Have you had breakfast already ? " asked Tom. " O yes, of course," said Rose, with a merry laugh, " sev- eral hours ago. But never mind. You will soon grow ac- customed to country hours, and rise with the earliest." Tom ate his breakfast with a good appetite, and then went out under the Elm to see what his cousin Hal was doing. Hal was sitting on a large flat rock, and seemed to be very busy over something, but he looked up as Tom ap- proached. " Come and help me, Tom," said he ; "I caught my net in the bushes yesterday, and am trying to mend it." " Your net, Hal ! Are you going fishing ? " " O no, not to-day. Besides, do you suppose I could catch fish with this gauzy thing? You will learn better than that b.efore you have been here many weeks." " What are you going to do with it, then ? " 4 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. " Well, you see, our class in school are just commencing the study of Lepidoptera, and " " Study of what ? " interrupted Tom. " Why, don't you know ? The study of butterflies and moths. We catch specimens and take them to our school- teacher, who tells us all about them." " Why, do you really catch them in nets ? " " Yes. I was out hunting all day yesterday ; but I had n't any luck at all, though I chased a dozen all over the fields. You see we have to begin hunting early in the season, because the various kinds of butterflies appear in different months, and it 's already time for the earliest to be creeping out. Those which come latest in the Autumn crawl into the cracks of barns and sheds, and sometimes into piles of wood, and live there through the Winter, and it is to hunt for these that I am going out to-morrow." "What do you do with the butterflies when you have caught them ? " asked Tom. " O, you '11 see. Rose will make you a net, and then you can go hunting with me. A* few tramps over the moun- tain will do you good. As you look now, I would n't give much for you among us country boys at any sort of a game." Tom was at first inclined to resent this uncomplimen- tary speech. Though of slighter form than Hal, he was already quite expert in gymnastic games, and his muscles THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 5 were firm and nervous. But, as he looked at his stout and sturdy cousin, he thought it best not to boast too loudly. Mending the torn net proved to be too nice a job for Hal's skill, and the boys went into the house to ask Rose's assistance. Of course Tom must have a net too, so Hal immedi- ately set to work upon the frame. He took a common flat barrel-hoop, and slit off a strip about a quarter of an inch in width. Of this he made a hoop about a foot in diameter, which he bound with wire to a light hickory rod of the thickness of a parasol handle and about three feet long. When he had completed his frame, Rose took a circular piece of mosquito-netting, about three quarters of a yard in diameter, and bound it firmly to the hoop, and the net was finished. Butterfly nets can be bought ready made ; but any boy who is handy with his knife can make his own. The frame sjiould be light so as not to fatigue the hand, and at the same time strong enough to endure a good deal of rough work among the bushes. A piece of ratan from an old umbrella makes a good hoop ; and nothing is better for the handle than a farmer's goad-stick or wooden whip, which is light, strong, and not too elastic. Great attention should be paid to joining the handle to the hoop. If this is not firmly done, the frame may come in two when you are in hot pursuit of butter- flies, and if you have not with you the means of repairing the damage, you may lose your whole day's sport. THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. CHAPTER II. THE FIRST BUTTERFLY. early Spring morning in New England possesses a sweet charm of its own, un- equalled in any other part of the world. The warm rays of the sun melt the deep Winter snows and send merry rivulets dancing and sparkling down every hill- side. The meadows are wet and soft, Jj_3V and all the hollows are miniature lakes, by which the green grass already shoots up in tall, slender spires. Along the roadside, and under the old stone walls, the dingy snow-banks waste rapidly away, giving place to banks of emerald turf and delicate wayside flowers. It was on one of these sweet mornings that Hal, with his net and box and bottle of ether, started out with Tom to hunt for the first Spring butterfly, the Antiopa, which, after living all Winter in old buildings or wood-piles, creeps out to die in the warm April sunshine. "Are we going to tramp all over the wet, splashy meadows ? " asked Tom. " O no," answered Hal, " not to-day. But you need n't look so fearfully at the wet fields, for long before Summer THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 7 is over I shall go straight through mud and water, and so will you. To-day we will only hunt round the barns and woodshed, although Mr. Benedict says the Antiopa is often found in warm, sunny places in the woods. "Who is Mr. Benedict?" "He is our teacher. A real jolly man he is, too, and all the boys like him. But why did n't you bring out your net ? " "Rose has not finished it yet. I shall catch about as milch with the net in her work-basket as if I had it out here." "Don't say that, Tom. But as your hands are empty, you may as well carry my box." " You don't expect to fill this big box to-day, do you ? " "The box will hold one, if I have the luck to catch it," said Hal, laughing. "But, you see, perhaps we shall hunt for nothing all day. Butterfly-hunting takes just as much patience and skill as fishing, only it is more active sport." While they were talking, the two boys walked leisurely along through the yard back of Mr. Merton's house. They climbed over the bars, and went down the lane to the barn. " Hal, what are you going to do with this ether ? " asked Tom. "The smell makes me feel just as if I was going to have a tooth pulled." "I am going to serve the butterflies just as the dentist 8 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. serves you," replied Hal. " Soon as I catch one I put a drop of this to its nose, and put it to sleep so that it will feel no pain. Then I fasten it with a pin to one of those pieces of cork you see in the box. I put the butter- flies to sleep before taking them from the net, or else they would flutter and struggle so as to destroy all the delicate down on their wings. But you shall see. Come along." The noon sun had spread its full glory of warmth and light through the air, and the boys stepped very cautiously, for Hal said they might find a butterfly hovering over any of the old logs that lay scattered about in the grass. "Keep a little behind me, Tom," said Hal; "for the Antiopa are very shy, and if I see one lighted I want to throw my net over it before anything starts it. This kind fly very high, and it is n't easy to chase them." "Why, Hal, I thought you had just begun to study Lepi What do you call it ? But you seem to know all about the habits of the butterflies now." "Of course I have had to study some before beginning to catch them," replied Hal; "and, besides, last Autumn I hunted and found a few, but I was awkward then, and tore them all to pieces trying to arrange them on the corks. Stop ! stop ! There 's one lighted on that old log." Hal stole softly along, and threw his net, but the beau- tiful insect floated up over the roof of the barn, and finally lighted far above Hal's reach. Hal did not stop THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 9 to reply to Tom's loud, ringing laugh, but went on quietly looking for more butterflies, turning every now and then to see whether the first one had flown from the roof. It soon darted off over the other side of the building, and Hal chased after it, leaving his cousin behind. Very soon Tom heard Hal calling for the box and ether. When Tom came up, Hal had gathered the net up into a bunch, confining the insect in a small space. He was holding it very carefully to keep it quiet, until he could put it to sleep with a drop of ether. Tom held the bottle, while Hal with a delicate brush dropped a little ether on the butterfly's head. The insect soon ceased moving, and Hal then fastened it by means of a long, slender pin to one of the corks in his box, and spread out its wings so as to show all the beauty and variety of the colors. "You punch it with your ugly pin as if it was dead instead of asleep," said Tom. " Yes, I know I do ; and perhaps it is dead," replied Hal, all the while busily arranging the wings before they grew stiff and brittle. "Sometimes they wake up," he continued, "and then I have to give them another dose of ether." It was now nearly time for dinner, and the boys turned to go into the house. In the yard Hal succeeded in catching two more butterflies of the same kind. "Why do you keep so many just alike?" asked Tom. "The specimens are not always perfect," answered Hal, IO THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. "and then we want a pair in our collection. The female is always larger and more beautiful in color than the male. Besides, with many butterflies the under side is quite as interesting to examine as the upper. So we catch all we can, and afterwards select the finest specimens to keep." The boys stopped to show their specimens to Rose, who was waiting for them in the doorway. All three then went in to dinner. In the evening Hal and Tom went over to the school- house, where they .found Mr. Benedict, the teacher, who was a great favorite with the boys, sitting in one of the recitation-rooms. About twenty boys were gathered near him, and on the table at his side lay several large books and a number of small boxes. The boys were all talking eagerly; and Frankie Mason, a bright-eyed little fellow of ten, was telling the teacher how hard he had worked all day without catching a single butterfly, when the door opened, and Hal and Tom, with Johnny Webb, came in with their boxes, and laid them on the table. The boys then took their seats, and Mr. Benedict commenced as follows. "In the beginning I shall make our study as simple as possible, and leave all the difficult things till we are better able to understand them. We will study the but- terflies by what we can see with the naked eye, because very few of you possess microscopes." THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. II The teacher stopped and turned to his table. Each boy had brought his specimen in a neat paper box, on which his own name was written, so that Mr. Benedict might know whose butterfly was the best preserved. He smiled as he looked at some of them, for they were torn, and the down on the wings nearly rubbed off. " That 's mine," said one of the big boys, as the teacher laughingly held up one forlorn insect, of which little was remaining save the body and a broken piece of a wing. " I brought it to show you I had tried." " Never mind, Gilbert," said the teacher, " to catch the butterfly at all is better than nothing. Only next time you must handle it with more delicate fingers." After looking over all that had been brought in, the teacher told the boys that he should make the Antiopa the subject of this lesson, although several boys had found specimens of other early varieties. The Antiopa, having lived over Winter, was properly the first one to be con- sidered. Hal's specimens were very well arranged, but Johnny Webb had found a more perfect insect, so the teacher selected the latter specimen to show to the boys. "The Antiopa," said he, "belongs to the genus Vanessa, because the wings are jagged or tailed on the hind edge. The wings expand from three to three and a half inches." He held up Johnny's box in his hand, and all the boys looked eagerly at the beautiful insect expanded in it. 12 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. "You see the wings are of a purplish-brown color, with a broad buff-yellow border. Just inside the border is a row of pale blue spots. Even this fine specimen," he The Antiopa. continued, "is somewhat faded, as these butterflies always are in the Spring. The butterflies of this brood which are flying about now will very soon die. They will first deposit their eggs on the Elm and Willow trees, where the caterpillar lives after it is hatched, until about the first of July, when it becomes a chrysalis. The butterfly breaks the chrysalis in about two weeks, and when it first creeps out and spreads its fresh wings in the sun- shine, the color on them is very brilliant and rich as velvet. This brood of Antiopa is very short lived. It THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 13 deposits its eggs and dies, and a second brood of cater- pillars is hatched, which goes through all the changes, producing the butterfly again before Winter. In the Autumn you will find these butterflies hovering over the heaps of apples in the orchard, and that will be the best time to secure them for your collection." 14 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. f CHAPTER III. FLOWERS AND BUTTERFLIES. , EVERAL weeks after the first hunt for the Antiopa, Tom and Hal, together with Hal's cousin, Johnny Webb, started off one bright May morning to hunt for the small yellow butterflies, which Mr. Benedict had said they would find flying about in the sunny fields. It was yet too early in the morning for butterflies to be out, for they keep very quiet until the sun h& dried the dew from the grass and flowers, so that they can fly without fear of injuring their delicate wings. But the boys had started off early to have a hunt for flowers and moss for Rose to arrange in her vases. They crossed the road in front of Mr. Merton's house, and climbed over the wall into the pasture. A lot of sleek, sober-looking cows were nipping the short green grass, and lifted their noses with a good-morning sniff as the boys passed. "Let 's walk all round by the wall," said Johnny, "and when we get to the farther corner, where the nut-trees are, we '11 climb over into the Birch-grove. Early Saxi- frage grows there, and I told Rose I 'd bring her home a bunch of it." THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 15. I " Hallo, there 's our Fort," said Hal. The boys stopped and examined with great interest a big square enclosed with a stone wall, which it had taken Hal and some other village boys the whole of a last Autumn's holiday to build. The Winter frost had displaced many of the stones, and one side was quite- thrown down. "All open to the enemy," said Hal, as he walked up to the breach. "Don't you remember," he added, " how old Farmer Rogers, in his long blue frock, chased us and yelled at us because we stole a whole heap of his cider apples for shot and shell ? " "Yes," said Johnny, soberly; "and father was so sorry about it, that he sent the old man a barrel of our best Baldwins in return." "It was a mean trick in us boys, any way," said Hal. 1 Only see the Violets and Anemones," said Johnny. The boys looked down under the Alders by the wall, and were soon on their knees, plucking handfuls of the delicate Wind-flowers and Violets. Before they reached the nut-tree corner, they had gathered great bunches of Dandelions, Liverwort, and Wild Geranium. " Chip, chip, chip," said Hal, as a striped squirrel darted nimbly past them. The squirrels had a whole colony of little burrows in the nut-tree corner, and might be seen having a grand frolic there any warm sunny day. When the boys reached the corner, Tom threw himself 1 6 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. down under one of the trees, right into a whole bed of blue Liverwort, and began to arrange the flowers he had gathered. Johnny climbed over the wall into the Birch- grove, after Early Saxifrage, and soon came back with his hands full. The boys soon gathered so many flowers that they agreed to leave them under the nut-trees while they went off for butterflies. " Let 's separate," said Hal, " and each see what he can do alone. Then afterwards we will all meet- here again. Hallo, there goes a butterfly, now," and saying this, off he darted after it, going over the wall and up the side of the hill, almost as fast as the insect he was chasing. Johnny went to a little pool of water and dipped some Birch branches in it, which he brought carefully back and laid over the flowers to keep them fresh and protect them from the sun, and then he and Tom started off in oppo- site directions. In about an hour the boys met again at the nut-tree corner. "Well, Tom, you have got your box full, of course," said Hal, as he sat down on the grass to take breath, and, throwing off his cap, pushed his damp, curly hair back from his forehead. "Now, Hal, you are too bad. You know I never tried before," said Tom; "but I have done as well as Gilbert did, any way." THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. I/ He opened his little box and showed Hal and Johnny a poor crushed insect, with its legs and antennae all broken off. " Now see here," said Hal, " I Ve caught six." "Look at that one," said Johnny, "with a beautiful shaded border." "Yes," replied Hal, "that is a female butterfly. Mr.. Benedict described it to me. I only caught one, although I chased another half-way down the other side of the hill. Now, Johnny, show us your boxful." Johnny laughed, and put his box away in his pocket.. " The warm sun made the things too lively," said he ;: " I had a hard run, and threw my net ever so many times, but the butterflies always darted off into the air. And all the while I could see you off on the hill, down^ on your knees and boxing them up." The boys gathered up their flowers and went home. Johnny gave a large bunch of the Saxifrage to Rose,, and carried the rest home to his sister Annie. In the evening the boys all met again at the school- room. Mr. Benedict was much gratified to find the boys- taking so much interest in their study, and he praised them for the number of specimens they had brought, and- for the careful manner in which most of them had beem prepared. "These beautiful yellow butterflies," said he, "belong to' 2 1 8 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. the genus Colias, and are distinguished by the following peculiarities : six legs, short antennae thickened towards the end, and " " Antennas. Do you mean those horns ? " interrupted little Frank Mason. The teacher encouraged all such questions, but could not help laughing at Frank's eager manner. " O yes, Frank," said he, " those are what I mean, and you may call them horns if you choose. There is time enough for a little boy like you to learn the proper names. You see," he continued, "that the horns are thicker to- ward the end. The color of the wings is bright yellow, with a black border. On the female of this butterfly this border is very broad on the fore wings and beautifully shaded. The fore wings have a small black dot near the centre. This dot is just alike on both sides, while the round orange-colored spot on the middle of the upper side of the hind wings is replaced on the under side by a silvery spot with a rusty looking ring round it. The hind wings are rounded and have a smooth edge, and near the margin on the under side are three delicate dots. "The male of this butterfly is smaller than the female, and the black on the border of its wings is more dense in color. "This butterfly's name is Colias Philodice. It is very fond of Clover, and often deposits its eggs upon it." THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 19 " Does it live all Summer ? " asked Gilbert. " I remem- ber seeing some that looked just like it, hovering over father's late Clover last Autumn." Colias Philodice. "No," replied Mr. Benedict, "this early brood will all disappear, and about the first of August another brood will come out. The late brood is much more numerous than this early one. These butterflies will often fly in such quantities in fields where the late Clover is in bloom, that you could not throw your net without catching three or four at one time. Now, boys," he continued, "there is a very large and beautiful butterfly which appears about the last of May, and when you are out hunting specimens for next week's lesson, I want you to look for it. It is of a beautiful lemon yellow, ornamented with black stripes. This butterfly is as large as any we have. You must look for it in warm and sunny places. Very few butterflies live in the woods, and those that do, such as the Hipparchians, come much later in the season. At this time of the year 2O THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. they fly about in the open fields and by the roadside. They delight to hover over the bushes that fringe the old stone walls. You will find them in these places any sunny afternoon." After giving them these directions, Mr. Benedict dis- missed the boys. As they went out they all passed up by his desk, and he returned each boy the little box he had brought containing specimens. THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 21 CHAPTER IV. A RAINY MORNING. T was a sweet moonlight evening, and Tom and Hal walked slowly home with Johnny Webb. Rose was spending the evening with Annie, and the boys were to call for her on their way home. Mr. Webb's house was a large farm-house, standing with its gable towards the road, as so many of the New England farm-houses were built long ago. The boys opened a little wooden gate and walked towards the house between two rows of Syringa and Lilac bushes, until they reached the porch, where they found the girls. Annie, who was lame from the effects of a fall received when she was a very little girl, was lying on a lounge, which Mrs. Webb had drawn to the door for her, her sweet pale face looking lovely and quiet as the moon shone upon it. Rose sat upon a low seat by her side. " Come, Johnny," said Annie, " tell me what the lesson was about to-night." " O Annie ! Mr. Benedict says we must hunt next week for the biggest butterfly you ever saw." Annie laughed heartily at Johnny's boyish eagerness. 22 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. "I saw some of those great yellow butterflies he told about, in a Museum once, under a glass," said Tom ; " and I thought then they were painted instead of being real butterflies." "I Ve often seen them flying about," said Hal, "and once I caught a big one in my cap, but he was broken all to pieces and I threw him away." "Well," said Johnny, "now Mr. Benedict has taught us how to use nets, I think I can catch one without break- ing it." "Annie, don't you feel very tired sitting still here all these pleasant Spring days ? " asked Tom. " O no," she replied ; " I can look out of the window and watch mother working among her flowers ; and then Johnny is such a good boy, and brings me in mosses and wild- flowers almost every day. Only I do long sometimes to be out in the woods myself, and feel the soft Pine carpet under my feet and hear the roar of the wind in the tree- tops." "And so you shall, Annie," said Hal. "Some warm day I will carry you to the woods myself." Then the boys told the girls that after a while they were going to have a grand picnic in the grove at the Den Rocks, and Mrs. Webb said if Annie was well enough she should be carried to the grove to enjoy it with them. It was now time to go home; and after saying good THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 23 night to Annie and Johnny, Rose and the two boys walked up the hill to Mr. Merton's house. A few days after this Hal and Tom laid a grand plan, that, as the next day was Saturday, and there would be no school, they would have a hunt for butterflies, and after- wards come home through the Rail Swamp to get some Rhodora and Shad-flowers for Annie. But Saturday morn- ing dawned and the boys were sorry enough to find a heavy rain pouring down, and the dismal prospect before them of spending a day in-doors. After breakfast they sat down and tried to look over Hal's book on butter- flies, to see if they could find out anything more about the big yellow one they were going to hunt for. They read a little while, but the big words puzzled them, and, besides, they were possessed with that restlessness peculiar to boys when they are made to stay in the house against their will. Finally Tom threw the book impatiently on the table. " I don't know one word I Ve been reading," said he. They then went up stairs to Hal's little room and began to look over drawers and boxes filled with sundry old things, precious to boys. There were portions of old clock- work, pieces of lead, bits of tin and wire, little bundles of nails and screws, and in a chest that stood on one side of the room was a very neat set of small tools. In one corner of the room stood an unfinished model 24 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. of a saw-mill, complete in all its parts, with the exception of the great wheel, the materials for which were lying on the workbench under the window. Tom was immediately interested in the neat workmanship and ingenuity of the model, which he examined with the greatest attention. In- side, everything was in perfect order, and ready to be put in motion, and Tom proposed that they should spend the rest of the morning in finishing the wheel. Hal at once agreed, and immediately set to work. The model was about three feet in length, and about eighteen inches in height. One side and one end were open. The other side and end were boarded up, and the roof was neatly covered with miniature shingles. The great wheel, which was to be on the side which was boarded up, was twelve inches in diameter. It was constructed on the "overshot" principle, and the buckets were about two inches in width and nearly an inch in depth. The separate parts were already finished, and Hal had only to put them together with neat wooden pegs. While at work he explained that he had built a splendid mill-dam on the Mountain Stream, where he intended to set his mill. The foundation was all ready, and as soon as the wheel was finished and se- cured to the shaft they could set the mill in its place and commence sawing miniature pine logs. THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 2$ CHAPTER V. THE HILL-PASTURE. |N this way the forenoon passed rapidly. After dinner Tom went to the window, and off over the barn he saw, to his great delight, a piece of blue sky through which the sun very soon shone, while the clouds all broke up into big white groups and floated out of sight. "Come, Hal, I say, let 's be off in a hurry," said Torn, as he hunted round for his cap and net. " You need not go yet, boys," said Rose ; " for the butter- flies won't come out until the sun has dried the grass a little." Rose had taken up Hal's book, which lay on the table, and was turning over the leaves slowly as she spoke. "See here," said she, "in describing that butterfly you were talking about this morning, this book says that it lives round the apple-trees and leaves its eggs on them. I wish one of you could find me a chrysalis. I would keep it for you in a warm, dry place, until the butterfly came out of it." " O, Annie is going to keep all the chrysalids," said Hal. " Her father has made her a nice box with a glass cover, 26 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. and she keeps it on her work-table. Johnny has found some for her, and I promised to carry her mine." "You shall carry them to her," said Rose. "Annie has to sit still all day, and it will amuse her to watch them." By this time the sun was shining very bright and warm, and the boys started off. With their nets thrown over their shoulders, and each one carrying his specimen-box, they walked up the little narrow road that wound by the foot of the mountain. It was one of those delicious little country roads, in which there is a beaten track for each wheel and one in the centre trodden by the horse's feet, and between the tracks a little ridge of grass. A thick hedge of Birches and Alders bordered each side of the road, broken only here and there to give room to an old moss-grown pair of bars. The boys walked along, each trying to balance himself on the narrow ridges of grass. Tom slipped off several times, his feet going plump into little pools of water which had settled in the wheel-track after the rain. Finally they stopped, and leaned on an old pair of bars. "Tom," said Hal, "we may as well go right off into the fields. In this road the trees and bushes keep it so damp that the butterflies are afraid to fly." So they jumped over the bars, and, after crossing a broad marshy brook on some stepping-stones which Hal had placed there long before, they ran up the slope of THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 2/ the hill-pasture. This was where Mr. Merton's oxen were turned out to lie in the grass when they were not in use. One splendid pair were lying there now, and they lifted their large eyes drowsily as the boys ran past them. Tom was in hot pursuit of a great butterfly he had just started up from a bunch of Clover. He raced over to the farther side of the pasture, and clearing the wall at one bound, disappeared on the other side. Soon Hal saw his net flying along far up the road, and at last go out of sight behind a big cluster of Willows. Hal himself soon found several of the butterflies he had come out to hunt for hovering round the margin of a shallow poql in the pasture ; and after creeping about slyly for some time, he succeeded in capturing several fine specimens. He gave them a dose of ether, and then climbed over into the road on the opposite side of the pasture from where he had entered it. Then he sat down on a big stone to arrange the wings of his butterflies and to wait for Tom's reappearance. Before long Tom came back, his face flushed with his long race. He carried his little box very carefully in his hand. "O Hal!" sa^d he, as soon as he came near enough to speak, "I 've caught a splendid fellow! Look here." He opened his box and displayed a large black butterfly with brilliant dots on its wings. 28 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. "I never saw one like that," said Hal. "We '11 carry it to Mr. Benedict to-night and ask him what it is." " He is a strong old butterfly, any way," said Tom. " He struggled hard for his life. I could n't help feeling sorry for him, he was so silent about it." " I know it, Tom ; the butterflies can't make the least noise, no matter how bad we treat them. I caught a Bumble-bee by mistake the other day, and he made such a fuss with his wumble, wnmble, wnmble, that I was glad to let him go." It was now so late that the boys agreed to go for Annie's flowers some other time. Hal said perhaps Rose would go with them, and then they would all visit the old cellar hole together. In the evening Tom and Hal took their specimens and went early to the meeting of the class. "Well, boys," said Mr. Benedict, as he rose to com- mence his lecture, "you have done remarkably well. I shall speak to you this evening about the Papilio Turnus. This butterfly takes its place among the largest we find. Its wings expand nearly five inches. The color is, as you see, a brilliant yellow with a broad border of black dotted with yellow, on the edge of the wings." Mr. Benedict held up the box containing the butterfly he had selected as the best specimen for the evening, and little Frank Mason could n't help exclaiming, "O Mr. Benedict! that 's my butterfly!" THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 29 " I see it is, Frank," said the teacher ; " and I must praise you for having mounted it so neatly." "But my papa helped me catch it, and he fastened it in the box for me, too," said Frank. All the boys laughed at Frank's open-heartedness. Papilio Turnus. "The fore wings of this butterfly," continued Mr. Bene- dict, "are crossed by four bands of black, extending back- wards from the front edge. On each hind wing is an orange-colored spot and at the back a little tail. "This beautiful butterfly is usually seen flying about the go , THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. apple and cherry trees, on which it leaves its eggs. You will often find the chrysalis on these trees. It remains there through the Winter, and the butterfly does not leave it until the last of May or first of June. The Papilio Turnus flies very high, but it often descends and hovers about small pools of water after a shower. Some seasons Papilio Asterias. it is very common, and may be found in great numbers in any orchard or pasture where old apple-trees are stand- ing. Almost all the large varieties of butterflies vary in numbers in different years. Some years they disappear almost entirely, and the following Spring they will per- haps come out more abundant than ever. THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 31 "For our next lesson I will tell you about this butterfly of which Tom Stewart has brought in one specimen. It is very handsomely arranged," said he, as he turned with an approving smile to where Tom sat. Tom Stewart's face glowed with pleasure, and he felt more than paid for his hard chase. " This butterfly," continued the teacher, " is called Pa- pilio Asterias. I want you all to go home and take your book and see what you can learn about it. Next Wednes- day we will meet here again, and each one shall tell me what he has been able to learn alone by himself. We shall meet twice a week after this evening, because at this season the different kinds of butterflies are coming -out very fast." 32 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. CHAPTER VI. THE OLD CELLAR HOLE. NE pleasant afternoon before the next meet- ing of the butterfly class, Hal and Tom persuaded Rose to go with them, after school hours, for a long walk about the pastures. Rose had prepared a little basket of luncheon to eat out under the White Pine, and they were all ready to start when Hal came home. They looked just like a pic- nic party as they went off down the lane. Hal carried the basket, which was pretty heavy, and Rose carried his net for him. Tom had his net too. They walked fast across the open field, but- when they .came to the bushes they had to step carefully on the little tufts of moss and dried grass, as the ground between them was damp and soft, and here and there they came to little pools of water, which they either had to cross with a jump or go around. "Father calls all these pastur.es the Rail Swamp," said Hal. "It is never so dry here that the cattle cannot find water enough to drink." THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 33 "I don't see why we are coming among these bushes," said Tom. " I 've caught my net and torn it already." "Why, we are coming for Rhodora," said Rose. "It grows along by the wall just the other side of the thicket. But you would better carry back your net and leave it on the grass. I wish you would take Hal's too, for I need both hands to gather flowers with." Tom took the nets and went back with them. When* he returned, Hal and Rose had disappeared in the thicket ;: but he could hear their voices calling him, and he soon 1 found them by the side of an old moss-grown, tumbling; wall. By its side stretched a long, dark pool of water,, in which the wall and bushes and trees were clearly re- flected, and along whose margin grew the Rhodora. The beautiful plant was in full blossom ; some of the pretty purple petals had fallen off and were floating slowly about: on the surface of the water. The children gathered a large bunch, and then sat down on a great bed of moss to rest, before going back for their nets. Rose gathered some of the moss and amused herself by placing in it- such flowers as she found growing there. There was-; Solomon's Seal and Wild Geranium, and under a large; Alder-bush Tom found a whole bed of Nodding Trillium^, or Wake Robin. When they had gathered all they couldi carry, they went back to the place where they had- left* their nets. 3 34 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. By this time Hal felt hungry, so Rose said they would eat their luncheon before visiting the old cellar hole. To reach the White Pine they had to walk along by the wall in the cow-path till they came to a clump of Pine- trees. In the centre of this clump stood the White Pine. This tree was the largest of the group. Under its wide- spreading branches was an open space covered with a soft Pine carpet. The other Pine-trees grew all around so as to shut it in entirely, making a pleasant bower, where the children often came on hot Summer days. On one side Hal had trimmed the branches so as to make a little arched entrance. They all sat down under the free, and Rose spread out the contents of her basket. Tom thought he had never eaten anything so nice as the thin slices of bread and butter, and apple-pie and Dutch cheese. When they had eaten their luncheon, they laid their moss and all the small flowers in the basket, and then strolled off in the direction of the old cellar hole. As they walked along, Rose told Tom all she knew i about the cellar hole. There had been no house there for a great many years. Almost one hundred years ago, when the house was new and when the little narrow lane upon which it stood was one of the travelled country roads, a young sister of General Israel Putnam was brought home to it, a bride. Here she lived for many years and had a large number of children, both girls THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 35 and boys. No doubt there was many a jolly wedding in the house, as the daughters, one by one, passed away to other homes. There was sadness there too, for in an old briery cemetery near by there is a gray, moss-covered stone, "Sacred to the memory of Mary F n, who departed this life June y e 21, 17 . Aged 15 years." After this family were all scattered or dead, the house fell into decay, and finally one stormy Winter night it was blown down. " Old Goody Wood told me all this," said Rose ; " and when I go to the cellar hole I always sit down and try to fancy the children playing on the green and the good mother spinning at the sunny open door." By this time they had reached the bars at the entrance of the lane. They climbed over, and walked a long way through a shady little road, where the Birches and young Maples brushed them with their branches. After a while they came to a bend in the road, and, turning it, found themselves in an open, grassy space. Here was the cellar hole. It was not very deep, and was all overgrown with luxuriant grass. The bricks from the chimney and some of the stones from the cellar wall were tumbled here and there in heaps. At the side nearest the road lay the large, flat door-stone. " I can imagine old General Putnam sitting here," said Rose, " telling stories to all his nephews and nieces about the strange scenes he had passed through." 36 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. Off at one side of the cellar hole was the place where the well used to be. It was all filled up, and a few stones were heaped on the top. Some blackberry-vines, covered with white blossoms, were running over them. Farther back was a small place sunken in the ground, where Hal said the barn must have stood. On one side of the door-stone grew a large clump of Lilac-bushes. There were a few blossoms on them, which Rose gathered to carry home. It was very still there. The only things in motion were a few birds, which hopped about and twittered on the branches of some scraggy apple-trees. Rose sat down on the old door-stone, while the boys hunted about for butterflies. They found some little red and brown ones, which Hal said were sometimes very plenty. He had seen whole swarms of them flying by the roadside, but he did n't know their name. They hunted about until Rose called them and said they had only time to reach home before sunset. On the way back they found large bushes of Shad- flower in blossom, and the boys carried home handfuls of the delicate white flowers. After tea Rose arranged all the flowers in two large bunches, and Hal carried one of them to Annie. THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 37 CHAPTER VII. BUTTERFLY TALK. *HEN the class met^again, Mr. Benedict asked the boys to tell him, as well as they could, what they had been able to learn about the Papilio Asterias. They were all very shy about speaking. At last Gilbert said, "Mr. Benedict, th x ere were two de- scribed in my book almost alike, and I don't see how we are to know them apart:" "They are very much alike, it is true," said the teacher. "The other one is the Papilio Troilus." "The only difference I can find," said Gilbert, "is that the spot which is blue on the wing of the Asterias butter- fly is greenish on the Troilus." "I think, Sir," said Hal, "that these butterflies differ in the caterpillar instead of the butterfly." "The caterpillar!" said little Frank Mason. "What do you mea^ by the caterpillar ? " . "My dear Frank," said the teacher, "the caterpillar^ is the baby of the butterfly. It is hatched from the butter- fly's eggs, and feeds about on various plants, according to its kind, until it is full grown. Then it changes to a 38 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. chrysalis, from which, in proper time, the butterfly comes forth. Can any one tell me," he added, "what the differ- ence is between the caterpillars ? " "I can, Sir," said Ben Wait, a rosy, bright-eyed boy who sat in the back part of the room. "The caterpillar of the Asterias is what, we call a Parsley-worm. It is green and black. I have often caught it creeping round on Parsley and Caraway in our garden. The Troilus cat- erpillar I have never seen, but my book says it lives on Sassafras-trees, and changes its color four times." " That is all correct," said the teacher. " The cater- pillar of the Troilus, like many other caterpillars, sheds its skin, and takes one of a new color, every week of its life. " But we "will not talk any more about caterpillars now. Some evening, when we have not so many specimens, I will tell you more about caterpillars and chrysalids. " Now ,we will examine this fine specimen of Papilio Asterias. It belongs to the same species as the Turnus butterfly, described in our last lesson. Its wings expand nearly four inches. Its body is black, with two rows of yellow dots on the back. The wings are also black, with a -broad band of yellow spots extending from the front edge of the fore wing to the back part of the hind wing, and a row of yellow spots on the margin. The hind wings are tailed, and between the band of yellow and THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 39 the row of yellow spots on the margin are seven blue spots. By the side of the blue spot at the hind angle is an orange spot, with a black dot in the centre. All the spots on the under side are dull orange. The female Papilio Asterias has but one row of yellow dots on the front wings. "This kind of butterfly is most numerous during the month of July. You will often find it in your gardens, hovering over beds of Parsley and sweet-scented Phlox. It deposits its eggs on these plants, and it is there that the caterpillar we have already spoken about feeds. It often does much mischief by eating the leaves of Parsley and Carrots. "As the Troilus butterfly resembles the Asterias so closely while in the winged state, I will describe it to you now. It appears about the middle of June. This kind is never very numerous, but perhaps some of you will be so fortunate as to find a specimen. The Papilio Troilus has but one row of yellow dots, and that is on the margin of both the fore and hind wings. The green on the hind wings is shaded into the tint of the wing, instead of being in distinct spots like the blue in the Asterias, and the orange spot has no black dot in the centre. The difference between these two butterflies is so slight that it is impossible to distinguish one from the other when they are on the wing." 4 into the little cell inside them, where it spins fc shroud. If you hunt carefully when you THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 143 are out nutting in the Autumn, you will find the cocoons fallen among the dead leaves. They are of the same dull brown color as the leaves, and are not very easy to dis- tinguish from them. I found one of these cocoons once in the early Spring, when the snow had just left the ground. It was about the first of April. I carried it home and placed it under a glass on the top of my secretary. Here it remained until the last of May, and I had for- gotten all about it, when one day as I was sitting at my desk writing I was startled by a loud crackling sound. It was several minutes before I perceived that it came from my cocoon. I at last saw that the cocoon was moving slightly. As I watched it the motion gradually increased, and in about half an hour the cocoon burst, and an unsightly thing crawled forth. It appeared like a large white worm with two flippers, I might call them, in the place where the wings were to be. These flippers were not much larger than the antennae which, at the very first, were broad and feathered. The creature moved vigorously about and tried to attach itself to the top of the glass, but the smooth surface afforded nothing to which its feet could cling, so I removed the glass and put in its place a small osier basket of openwork. Very soon the insect suspended itself to the top of the basket, and its wings commenced to expand. As they opened, the delicate green color, of which there was no appearance at first, 144 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. began to show itself. The moth clung to the top of the basket, opening its wings broader and broader, until it seemed a marvel that so much could have been contained in the small, colorless bunches which were all that indicated the wings at the time of its birth. At first the wings were crumpled like the leaves of a Poppy when it first drops its calyx and opens to the warm rays of the sun, but as the air gradually dried them they smoothed them- selves out, and at last the perfect moth stood before me. Poor fellow ; his was a short life. Fearful that in fluttering to escape he might injure his delicate wings, I gave him his first and last food; a drop of ether, and consigned him to a prominent place in my collection." The boys had listened very eagerly to this description. Soon as Mr. Benedict stopped talking little Frank burst out with a question, which set the whole school into a roar of laughter. " O teacher ! " said he, " do you really suppose my moth was born that way ? " "Yes, Frank, of course he was, only instead of a basket he probably had a cosey green arbor among the leaves of some bush in which to expand and dry his wings." The teacher then told the boys that he should wait until the next meeting before telling them about the other moths belonging to the genus Attacus. When they met next time he thought he could finish all he intended to THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 145 say about the moths, and after that they might plan for their Festival. "And after that," said Tom, with a long sigh, "I am going home." 10 146 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. CHAPTER XX. ABOUT MOTHS Continued. HE class were not able to bring any specimens of moths to the next meeting. Mr. Benedict had foreseen this difficulty and had provided himself with specimens from his own collection. " I have already described the Attacus Luna," said he, "and to-day I purpose telling you about the others of that genus. They all belong to the grand family of Spin- ners, or Bombyces. There are four large and magnificent insects belonging to the genus Attacus, all of which I have captured myself in this locality. The Luna, Cecro- pia, Promethia, and Polyphemus. The Attacus Cecropia is quite as large as the Luna. Its wings often expand over six inches. Their color is reddish brown with a drab mar- gin, through which runs a black line. The hind wings are rounded, and this line follows the outline of the edge, but on the fore wings it is deeply waved. Across the middle of .the fore wings is a wavy white stripe shaded with brick red on the outer edge. The same stripe crosses the hind wing nearer the margin. The fore wings near the shoulder are dull red, and on their tips is a black spot with a bluish crescent. Near the centre of each wing THE BUTTERFLY IIUXTERS. 147 n 148 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. is a long, crescent-shaped spot of dull white shaded on the lower edge with the same shade of red as appears on the shoulders. The Attacus Cecropia has large feathered an- tennae, and its body is very thick and clumsy : its back is dull red, and underneath it is mixed red and white. The caterpillar of the Cecropia moth is a huge, disgusting fellow. He is more than three inches long, of a clear green color, and covered with red and yellow warts and black bristles. It lives on various kinds of fruit trees. I have often captured specimens of this caterpillar and sup- plied them with the proper leaves for food, in the hope of seeing the process of transformation to the cocoon ; but this caterpillar, like others of the genus Attacus, does not like confinement, and my specimens have always died. You will have no difficulty in finding the cocoons. They are firmly attached to the side of twigs, and the best way to preserve them is to cut the twig and allow the cocoon to remain as placed by the worm. Sometimes the cocoon is twisted off by the wind and falls among the dry leaves. v The insect remains in the chrysalis all Winter, and breaks forth from its prison cell some time in June. "The Attacus Polyphemus is also a very large moth. In the caterpillar state it lives on the Oak and Elm, and forms its cocoon with an outward covering of leaves very much the same way as the Luna moth. The caterpillars of the Luna and Polyphemus are very similar, but the THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 149 moths are entirely different. The hind wings of the Poly- phemus are round, without the slightest indication of the long tail of the Luna. The color of the wings is dull yellow, slightly clouded with black. Near the margin of the fore wings is a gray band, and at the shoulder are two short red and white lines. Just within the edge of the hind wings is a dark gray band with an outer edge of reddish white. On the centre of each wing is a trans- parent spot, crossed by a fine line, and encircled by rings of yellow and black. The whole is surrounded by a large blue spot shaded into black. On the fore pair of wings this spot is much smaller and less prominent than on the hind pair. The wings of the Attacus Polyphemus expand from five to six inches. "The Attacus Promethia is much smaller than the other three. It rarely expands over three and a half inches. Its caterpillar lives on Sassafras and Wild Cherry trees, and the silk with which it attaches its cocoon to the twigs is so strong that the rudest winds and storms of Winter have no power to disturb the case of dried leaves within which the cocoon rests securely. When the fresh June foliage is in its prime the moth breaks forth. The color of the Pro- methia moth differs according to the sex. The male is dark bluish brown, and the female a light reddish tint. Across the middle of the wings, in both, runs a whitish line, shaded toward the margin into a wide, clay-colored 150 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. border through which runs a wavy line of red. Along the edge of the hind wing are six oblong spots. Near the tip of each fore wing is a round black spot within a bluish white line. At the centre of each wing on the female there is an oblong reddish-white spot surrounded by a line Attacus Promethia. of black. These same spots may be seen very faintly on the under side of the male, but never on the upper side. "The Arctia Acrea, or Beach moth, is a small but very pretty variety, now becoming quite common in our inland towns. Its home is on the great salt marshes, but it is supposed that the chrysalids have been brought inland with loads of salt hay, and in this way it is fast becoming THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. Arctia Acrea. at home in a new atmosphere. The caterpillar of the Beach moth belongs to the bear family, so called because the caterpillars belonging to it are covered with hairs, Arctia, the name of the genus, being from the Greek word for bear. The female of the Beach moth is very beauti- ful. The wings, which ex- pand about two inches and a half, appear like white vel- vet marked with fine black spots. The male of this moth is not quite so deli- cate as the female and is a little smaller. Its fore pair of wings are white marked with black, the same as those of the female, but the hind pair are reddish yellow, also marked with black. The body of the moth is the same in both male and female. The head is white and velvety, and the body is reddish yellow, with a line of black spots on the back. " Another very beautiful moth is the Dryocampa Imperi- alis. I have a pair of these which at different times were hatched from chrysalids in my possession, and I have brought them here to show you. Unfortunately, I was not present when either of these insects came forth. I found them fully open and ready for flight. The cater- pillar of this moth goes into the ground to form its chrys- 152 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. alis, and the pupa remains there all Winter. In June the chrysalis works its way to the surface of the earth, and projects the end through which the moth is about to burst for'h. You will often find the chrysalids while digging Dryocampa Imperialis. your garden in the Spring, and although the removal from the ground before the proper time often tends to kill what life there may be in the inside, still very frequently this is not the case. I have often been successful in feeding THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 153 the worms in a box of earth, and in that way allowing the chrysalis to come out of the ground at its own time. You will find the worms of the Imperialis moth on Button- wood-trees. These worms are several inches long and of a greenish color, with a red tint along the back. The head and legs are pale orange. If you catch them about the first of September, which is near the time they are ready to go into the ground, they will take kindly to your box of earth, and your experiment will probably be suc- cessful. The moth of the Dryocampa Imperialis expands about five inches. It is of a delicate yellow color, sprinkled with purple dots. Across each wing is a wavy band of purple. The body is the same color as the wings, yellow dotted with purple. "I have told you that this section of Lepidoptera is divided into two grand classes, Moths and Hawk-moths. I have described to you some of the largest of the Moths, and will now tell you about a few belonging to the other division. The Hawk-moths are almost all of them large and clumsy, but for all that they are frequently called Humming-bird moths, from the loud humming sound they make in flying, and because they hover over flowers in the same manner as humming-birds, while taking their food. These moths generally appear at twilight, before it has grown very dark. The caterpillars of the Hawk-moths crawl into the ground for transformation, and the pupa remains there through the Winter. 154 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. Sphinx Quinquemaculatus. "One of the largest of these moths is the Sphinx Quin- quemaculatus, or Five-spotted Sphinx. It is named from the five round orange spots on each side of the body. You are probably all familiar with the large green potato worm, as it is called. This is the worm of the Five- spotted Sphinx. It lives among the potato vines all Sum- mer, and about the last of August crawls into the ground, where it remains until Spring. The Five-spotted Sphinx is a coarse-looking creature. Its wings are a dull mixture of black and gray. They expand a little over five inches. The tube through which this moth draws its food is very THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 155 curious. I remember watching them, when I was quite young, playing about in the early evening over the Honey- suckle in front of my father's house. The long tongue which they thrust down into the deep cups of the flowers excited my wonder so much that I determined to catch one and examine it. After working with my cap for some time I succeeded in capturing a fine specimen. After se- curing him under a glass he appeared to have no ^tongue at all. Supposing I had caught the wrong one, I let him go and trapped another, with, however, the same result. I was sure that this fellow had a tongue, for I had seen him use it. My first thought was that it was broken off, and I looked for it in my cap. Finally I discovered it carefully coiled up and quite concealed by the two feelers at each side of the head. After killing the insect I un- rolled the tongue. It was full five inches long. "There is another very common kind of Sphinx or Hawk-moth which lives on Elm-trees. Its wings expand about four inches, and are of a very delicate ashen gray marked with white. Its name is Ceratomia Quadricornis, but I propose that we call it the Elm moth, for I don't believe that one of you will ever remember the other name. Sometimes these Elm moths are so numerous as to do great mischief to those noble trees. The wings of all these Hawk-moths are quite peculiar in shape. The fore pair are very long and narrow, suited for a strong 156 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. and rapid flight. The hind pair are very much shorter and also quite narrow. " The clear-winged Sphinxes, belonging to the genus Sesia, are very pretty. They do not seem like moths. Instead of moving about heavily after nightfall, they fly in the warm sunshine and hover over sweet flow- ers with all the activity of bees. When their wings are closed they are about as Clear-winged Sphinx. ^ ^ & good . sized bum . ble-bee. They never light while taking their food, but dart from flower to flower with all the grace and rapidity of a humming-bird. We will call them -the Fairy moths. The body of these insects is somewhat heavy, of a. dark brown color, and covered with a feathery down, but the wings are exquisitely delicate. They expand about two inches, are long and narrow, and vibrate with great ra- pidity when the little insect hangs over a flower. They are composed of transparent lace-work with a reddish- brown border, which is very narrow except at the tip of the fore wings. The antennae are long, and enlarged towards the end, but not knobbed." Mr. Benedict stopped a moment and leaned on his desk, regarding the boys attentively. THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 157 "My young friends," said he, "it has been an untold pleasure to me to review with you during the Summer that is past a small part of my own studies in this beau- tiful section of Natural History. I have been also much gratified at the interest you all have manifested in collect- ing specimens and in listening to my lectures about them. It is my fond hope that this small beginning may awaken in some of you at least the desire to pursue the study further, and it is not impossible that, thus awakened, you: may go on and become men high in the ranks of science. "In this hope, and with the assurance that what we: have studied is, however small, at least good in itself, L dismiss our last session as a class." i 5 8 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. CHAPTER XXI. THE BUTTERFLY FESTIVAL. UMMER was past. All along the roadside the Solidago and bright blue Asters, the last wild-flowers of. the year, lifted their blossoms to meet the Autumn sun, and on every hillside stood clumps of Oak and Maple resplendent in their coats of maroon, and yellow, and scarlet. These days were golden indeed to Annie Webb. She sat in her chamber watching the hazy Autumn sunlight brooding over the hills, while the scarlet leaves of the Woodbine over the window drifted in and lighted now on her hair, now on the carpet at her feet. She had walked about her chamber, but had not yet ventured to go down the stairs. One day she stood looking out into the yard where the bright yellow leaves from the Ash- trees before the house lay all about in heaps. " O mother," said she, suddenly, " when I have heard the dry leaves rustle as Johnny ran over them, I have always longed to walk among them myself. Don't you think I might try to go out in the yard to-day ? " " Yes, Annie," said her mother, " I think you might try. THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 159 If it tires you to go down stairs, you can rest on your old seat by the front door." Mrs. Webb threw her arm gently round the young 'girl and supported her as they went down stairs. It was a moment of great excitement to Annie. When they reached the door she turned away from her old seat with a half- suppressed sigh, as she thought of the long, long days she had spent there, and leaning on her mother's arm passed out into the sunny yard. It was true then at last. She stood out under the trees and among the fallen leaves and rustled them with her own little feet. She thought she had never heard sweeter music than the rustling of those leaves. When she at last turned to go back to the house, her face was flushed and her eyes shone with excitement. "The boys can have their Festival now, mother," said she. "They have been very good to wait for me, but they need not wait any longer." The boys had selected a lovely spot on the side of the mountain for their Festival. The Mountain Stream started from several springs near the hill-top, in the midst of a forest of noble Maples. For a little distance below its sources the banks on each side were gently sloped, smooth, and grassy, and this was the spot selected for the Festival ground. Just below this spot there was a beautiful cas- cade, which went tumbling down into a deep and narrow ravine. The sides of the chasm were rock and quite per- I6O THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. pendicular. Graceful Birches intermixed with stately, un- yielding Hemlocks, drooped over, and completely shut out the ' sun. It was always damp and gloomy in the gorge, and its walls were covered with exquisite moss. At the bottom rushed the Mountain Stream. A fairy-like scene it was to one standing just below the fall and looking up. Down through the Birches and dark green Hemlocks at the farther end of the ravine dashed the foamy water with a clear, cheerful sound, and ran on over the rocky bed, laughing merrily at its brave leap. Its spray rose lightly into the sunlight, and played in rainbow colors among the intricately woven boughs. The Festival day came at last. Early in the morning the sun was quite concealed by a heavy white mist, but soon it parted here and there, showing clear blue sky beyond, and by the time our young folks were all wide awake the mist had rolled off down the valley out of sight. The arrangements for the Festival were all complete. Annie had been chosen for the Queen of all the butter- flies, and Rose Merton, Frank's cousin Mary, and two other girls were to be her assistant fairies, The boys had built a gorgeous throne in the grove. It was arched over with boughs of scarlet Maple, and> festooned with long wreaths of evergreen, in which were fastened innumerable yellow butterflies, which Tom and Hal had been collecting all Summer for this very purpose. THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. l6l The young folks began to gather on the bank of the Mountain Stream about noon. All our old friends of the butterfly class wer r e there, and many other young people who had been invited to share the sports of the day. Tom and Hal, with Maggie Stewart, were the last to arrive. "Now," said Jennie Graham, "we are all here ready to do homage to our Queen." The young folks were waiting with much impatience for Annie to arrive. With the exception of Tom and Hal, no one had seen her since her recovery. It was not long before a shout was heard from the boys who had been sent to the entrance of the picnic ground to herald the coming of the royal party. The children all watched eagerly for its approach, and very soon the pro- cession appeared. Two maids of honor came first, and then Annie with Rose and little Mary. Behind them came Mr. Benedict, Annie's father and mother, and the parents of some of the other young folks. Annie was dressed in green, spangled all over with silver butterflies. On her' head she wore a wreath of white flowers. As Annie walked slowly across the green to her throne,, the young folks made the woods ring with their shouts. It was almost too much to believe that she was with- them there happy and well, instead of being the feeble; lame girl they had known for so long a time. Mr. Benedict took Annie's hand and assisted her' to ii 1 62 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. mount the throne. The four maids of honor seated them- selves on the moss-covered steps at her feet. Then Annie looked all round on the company and smiled her thanks for its hearty welcome. " Now, boys," said Mr. Benedict, " while our pretty Queen is resting with her maids, let us all spend the time in games, after which we will see which boy will have the good fortune to win the privilege of escorting the Queen to lunch." The boys had arranged a croquet ground on the green, and it was now taken possession of by a party of the young folks, others went to enjoy the swings which had been put up in the grove, and some strayed away in search of Autumn flowers and grasses. Maggie Stewart stayed with Annie and her maids of honor. The meeting between the two girls was very joyous. It was hard to say which- felt the most pleasure, Maggie to know that her friend was well, or Annie to think that she was so partly through Maggie's instrumentality. "So you are to be caught and carried off as a prize, Annie," said Maggie. "O no," replied Annie, "I shall not be caught at all. The boys are to win me if they can, but they can't." "And if they don't catch you, then they have no right to try for the maids of honor, have they ? " asked modest little Mary. THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 163 "No, Mary. They must catch the Queen first, or go without any of us." It was not long before the company, especially the boys, came trooping back to the green. They were on tiptoe to know about catching the Queen. When they were all assembled, Rose stood up by Annie and said that the Queen would now yield up her place as head of the Festival to any boy who could catch her. "The boy who succeeds," said Rose, "shall stand with the Queen at the head of the table and be hailed King of the Festival. If the Queen conquers all her subjects she shall have the right to choose her own companion." By order of the girls the boys had built two seats on the throne, and they were now to fight for the right of occupying the vacant one by Annie's side. Rose said she thought the boys would yield to Mr. Benedict the right to make the first trial. "No, no, we won't do that," said Tom, Hal, and a dozen others at once. , "Then you must draw lots for chances," said Rose. Tom wrote some numbers on little pieces of paper and they were all shaken together in a basket, which Rose held, and each boy drew out one ticket. Only the boys belonging to the butterfly class were allowed to draw. " Number one ! " shouted Joe Dane, as he waved his ticket triumphantly over his head. 164 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. Annie came down the steps of her throne and stood on the grass. Joe Dane was waiting in great excitement to know what he was expected to do, when Rose stepped forward and handed him a grace-hoop and a pair of sticks. Another maid of honor gave a similar set to Annie. "The boy who can crown me with the hoop," said Annie, "shall conduct me back to the throne and occupy the vacant seat by my side." All the boys cheered loudly for the Queen and for the game. They were all skilful players and they laughed at Annie's confidence that no one could catch her. " Where did Annie learn to play ? " asked Gilbert. "O, Annie used to play with me," said Johnny, "as she sat by the front door at home, and she never missed catching the hoop. I don't believe one of you can crown her." At a signal from Rose the game started. The hoops, which were trimmed with flowers, flew back and forth through the air. Joe's four throws, which were all that were allowed to each boy, were soon given, and at every throw Annie caught the hoop gracefully and surely on the end of her sticks. The boys shouted as Joe threw down his sticks and retired discomfited from the field. Gilbert's turn came next. He confidently took up the sticks. "Annie," said he, "it 's too bad for such a great fellow THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 165 as I am to play with you. I can throw the hoops so much faster than you can catch them." For reply Annie sent a hoop whirling at his head which, before he could spring and catch it, landed safely on his broad shoulders. " Now do the same to me if you can," said Annie. But it was no use. Boy after boy tried his skill and failed. "Annie will get tired at last," said Ben Wait, "and then she will be easily caught." "No, she won't be tired," said Johnny. "She often plays with me all the afternoon." At length all had tried and failed except Hal. He took his place and gave all his attention to the throws. Playing as fast as they were, it did not take long for the trial to be over. Annie caught the last hoop and whirling it on her sticks turned in triumph to the boys. "Now Annie is Queen," shouted little Frank, "and she must ascend the throne alone." "No, Frankie," said Annie, "I shall not mount my throne alone. I am going to take you with me." She went forward and taking the little fellow's hand, led him up the steps and placed him in the chair at her side. Then turning to the company she bade them all do homage to their King. The whole party, vexed as they were at their own failure to win the place of honor, burst 1 66 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. into roars of laughter, and all hastened forward to greet Frank as King. The little fellow was almost wild with delight. "Now," said Annie, "choose your companion and we will march to the lunch table." " I am bound to catch somebody," said Joe Dane, and seizing a grace-hoop he threw it over the head of little Mary and led her off in triumph. The boys had built a rustic table just within the grove, for the lunch. It was trimmed with evergreen and red leaves, and in the centre was placed a small Fir-tree, its branches ornamented with gay-colored butterflies. The party spent a long time about the table. Annie was full of fun. As she moved about among them all, her silver butterflies glistening in the light, she seemed to be in a new world. After lunch they spent the time in singing and playing games. But the day passed away, as all sweet things do, and the long shadows of the setting sun at length warned .them to turn towards home. It was Tom's last evening in the country. After the picnic the whole party walked home with him to his uncle's house. They were all unwilling to bid him good by, for through the long Summer days he had been their favorite companion, skilful and ready at all their games, and always full of fun and good-nature. THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. The parting words were all said at last. Tom stood under the Elm with his sister and his two cousins, and watched his young friends go off down the road. At the foot of the hill they all turned and waved their handker- chiefs as a last good by, and then passed out of sight. Cambridge : Electrotyped and Printed by Welch, Bigelow, & Co.