The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1886-10-14
mlMlcRy AMONG BUTTERFLIES.
Some Curious Scientific Facts-Chat with
an Entomologist.

Some Curious Scientific Facts-Chat with
an Entomologist.
The Rev. w. j. Holland, pastor of the
Bellefield Presbyterian church and one
the most noted entomologist of this
country, has just returned from an ex-
tended trip. During the last month he
has received some very rare and valua-
BILE accessions to his already large col
lection of butterflies. The new speci-
mems come from China, Japan, Africa,
Switzerland, and parts of this country.
In showing the new specimens to a
reporter Mr.. Holland said: "These
butterflies exemplify in striking man
ner what is known in science as MINI
icry. Let me explain. Here is male
butterfly" he said, pointing to one of
the finest-looking specimens, "and by its
side is the female. This female differs
greatly in appearance from the male of
her own species, but is almost counter
part of the male of another species.
Now that male, to which the female is
SC similar in appearance, belongs to a
species that, on account of
peculiar excretions from the
body, enjoys immunity from the raw
ages of birds. For some reason, I'M
known to science, there are certain
species that are thus free from the at
tack of birds. As the propagation of
the butterfly depends principally on the
female, nature has provided that in
those species not favored with immu-
nifty from bird attack the females should
Oh, he
immunity. Not only is there mimicry
of other forms of butterfly, but OF the
bark of trees, the blades of grass, and
other natural objects on which the fe-
male butterfly rests.
Il have just received collection of
$500 specimens from the west coast of
tropical Africa, where Du Chaillu
started out to hunt gorillas. The Az
rican butterflies present a great variety
of form and color. In the Madagascar
butterflies the male is constant in the
same species, but the female shows as
high as seven varieties of form. The
variety of form is no doubt due to the
principle of mimicry by which the fe-
male butterfly is protected"
On this theory, then, the Arctic but
terflies ought to be white" suggested
the reporter.
"The Arctic butterflies are often white"
continued Mr.. Holland, "but not be-
cause that is the color of the snow. In
Greenland the butterflies are insects of
the summer as we'll as here. Some OF
our butterflies are almost the color of
the vegetables on which they perch, and
hence can scarcely be distinguished
from their surroundings.
1T is a curious fact about the Green
land butterfly that the same species,
which here natures in forty days, re-
quires in that climate over two years.
There is one species of butterfly that
is great cosmopolite. 1t is found ir
China end Pennsylvania. refer to the
thistle butterfly. 1t has followed tn.
thistle down all over the world.
"How large collection have you nowf"
was asked.
II never keep any account of the num-
Der of specimens, as that alone does not
make collection valuable 1 think
have the most complete collection Of
this country. Of the 636 species in
America north of the Rio Grande
have an abundant representation. Bul
my collection is not complete, nor will
it be until have about 100000 speci
mems. That will be in the days of my
great-great- grandson, perhaps. Pitts.
burg Commercial Gazette.