River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-09-30

Pittsburg COmmercial-Gazetle. The
Rev. w. j. Holland, pastor of the
BelIeiield Presbyterian Church and one
Of the most noted entOmOlogists of this
country. has just returned from an ex-
tended trip. Daring the last month he
has received some very rare and valu-
able aceessiOns to his already large col
lection of butterflies The new speci-
mems come from China. Japan, Africa,
Switzerland and parts of this country.
One of the most interesting collections
is that sent by the Rev. B. G. Henry.
author of the Gross and Dragon, !"
formerly of Sharpsburg, but now mis-
siOnary in the island OF Hainan, China.
The Rev. Henry was the first white
man to collect insects in that island for
scientific purposes. lie has sent TO the
Pew. Mr.. Holland some $50 specimens
of butterflies. representing about 100
distinct species. The specimens belong
to what is known as the Siam fauna
and contain six species hitherto I'M
known to science.
In showing the new specimens to a
Commercial Gazette reporter last night
Mr. Holland said: These butterflies
exemplify in a striking manner what is
known in science as mimicTv. Let me
explain. Here is a male butterfly
he said pointing to one of the finest
specimens, land Icy its side is the fe-
male. This female differs greatly in
appearance from the male of her own
species. but is almost a counterpart of
the male of another species.
Now that male. to which the female is
50 similar in appearance, belongs TO a
species that, on account of peculiar eN-
cretions from the body, enjoys immun
ity from the ravages of birds. For
some reason, unknown 20 science, there
are certain species that are thus free
from the attack of birds. As the prop
agation of the butterfly depends prin-
cipally on the female, nature has pro-
vided that in those species not favored
with immunity from bird-attack the
females should resemble the forms
which enjoy this immunity. Not only
is their mimicry of other forms of but
terilv, but of the bark of trees, the
blades of grass. any other natural OBJ
iecis on which the female butterfly
rests.
al have Just received a collection of
1900 specimens from the west coast of
tropical Africa, where Du ChSillu
started out to hunt gorrillas. The
African 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. This variety of form is no doubt
due to the principle of mimicry by which
the female butterfly is protected"
''On this theory, then, the Arctic
butterflies ought TO be white,
suggested the reporter.
1.-The Arctic butterflies are often
white" continued Mr.. Holland, but
not because that is the color of the
snow. In Greenland the butterflies are
insects of the summer as well as here.
Some of our butterflies are almost the
color of the vegetables on which they
perch, and hence can scarcely be dis
tiuguished from their surroundings.
lit is a curious fact about the Green
land butterfly, that the same species,
which here natures in forty days. re-
q.ires in that climate over two years.
Il
great cosmopoiite. 1t is found in
China and in Pennsylvania. ! refer to
the thistle-b butterfly. 1t has followed
the thistle-down all over the world.
The intelligence of butterflies is shown
in their wonderful memory. They will
fly about for hours and then return to
the same identical leaf from which
they started and 90 to bed. The lsrg-
est butterflies. the orthoptera, measure
as high as eleven inches across the
wings from tip to tip. D."
How large a collection have you
now?" was asked.
IL never keep any account of the
number of specimens, as that alone
does not make a collection valuable. |
think | have the most complete collec-
ton of this country. OF the $50 species
in America north of the Rio Grande |
have an abundant representation. But
my collection is not complete. nor viii
it be until / have about 100000 speci-
mems. That will be in the days of my
great-great-grandson. perhaps