The record-union., 1893-12-06

twig through the thick underbrush. while
those gorgeous butterflies, the Morphos,
whose IGstrous metallic blue astOnishes
the world. would sail majestically over
the tree tops, never descending nearer
than twenty-five feet from the ground.
Seeking places where they were most
abundant he erected wooden platforms
twenty feet in the air, and daily assembled
to his perch between the hours OF half
past II in the morning and captured the
gorgeous creatures who ventured Wltnin
his reach. BY this stratagem he was able
to supply the collectors or the world with
both sexes whereas before him scarcely
any one had taken female Morpho.
Among the Papiiionidae, the most
highly priced genus, he made another GU
rious discovery. These insects also lily
high in the air, often following the tops
of trees till they reach the summits OF
high mountains, but rarely resting near
tho earth. Professor Hahnel observed
that the papilios frequently seemed TO
play with each other when meeting. lie
therefore tied dead specimen cOnspicu-
ously on a bush and was gratltled to see
the living ones sail down i'll the hope OF
sporting with one Of their own kind. At
a recent meeting of the New \ Ork EntO-
moiogical Society DIR. Prime, the we'll
known trout fisherman, who is also an
enthusiastic butterfly hunter, reported
that on warm, still days he could lure The
papilio from his high flight by smoking
a strong cigar.
There is a place in Brooklyn where, at
any time during the summer months.
thousands of caterpillars may be seen
feeding. IN this way often eggs OF very
large insects which would suffer iii transit
ii shipped as butterflies are sent to Mr..
NeumOegen from Asia, South America and
other distant localities. These are given
TO his curator, Mr.. Doll, and are reared
here. Lieutenant Schumacher this sum-
mer discovered a lot OF eggs of a rarity in
Mexico, and Mr.. Doll now has about two
hundred of the caterpillars, great black,
hairy fellows, three inches In length,
which he must take care OF all winter. as
they will not transform until spring.
WHERE BUTTERFLIES ARE FOUND.
A word as to the localities where but
terflies are to be found. One naturally
thinks OF butterflies in connection only
with flowers, and flowers suggest sum
shine and warmth. But there is no place
on this earth except upon It's great seas
and oceans where butterflies cannot be
found. OF course the plains Of tropical
countries abound with them, but some OF
the most beautiful forms are found in the
mountain passes of Darieeling and Six
kim, in the Himalayas, and on the frigld
attitudes Of Thibet, kaShmere, IurkeS-
tan and the Pamirs. Lieutenant Peary
told me that when he planted the United
States flag on the icecap OF the furthest
point north moth lit upon the pole for a
moment.
During the last two years Garlepp has
been doing excellent work on the highest
peaks i'll Bolivia, more than fifteen thou
sand feet above the sea. Mr.. Neumoegen
mas specimens taken by him during a
raging snow-form. This collector, by
Drawing the elements. has increased the
genera Colias and the new genera Pier
colias and Phulia by several species.
THE WORLDS GREAT COLLECTIONS.
/ This is enough to show that the collect
ing of butterflies and moths is not a sine
cure; that the gathering of collection is
not mere pastime. 70 do either one
must have an enthusiastic love of this
speciality of science exceeded by no
other.
may now pass to q more specific de-
scription of the great NeuInoegen cOllec-
ton. In order to properly place it among
the collections of the world | may men
ton the largest and most important in
their order.
First is the marvellous collection in the
British Museum, then the Oberthur col
lection in France, then the wonderful
Neumoegen collection in this city, then
Goldman and Salvin's in London, Stout
inger's in Dresden. StreclIer's in Read
ing, Penn, the Berlin Museum and the
Academic Franchise.
Some very wealthy and most eminent
individuals are interested aud own inn
pOrtant collections, but these usually
make chief study Of special groups, in
which they will pay any price for fine or
rare examples. His Imperial HighneSs
the Grand Duke NicOlai MichaelOvitcn
the nephew of the present Gar of Russia
! has sent great expeditions TO kurdistan
! Turkestan. kooldja, the Palnirs, North
eastern Siberia and kamchatka. BY these
means, in which only royalty could en-
/ gage, he added greatly to his collection
/ and to the great collections of the world,
! the Neumoegen receiving many of the
choicest things, his Highness sending a
/ special messenger to this country with
donations, for which he received equally
valuable raTitieS IN exchange. The lady
memuerS OF the family of his Royal
| Highness the Prince of Wales, have also
/ large collections, and are good entomolo-
! gists. The young Baron R0thschild,
! having an abundance of money, has
within comparatively short time
! amassed a valuable collection by simply
giving the great dealers of Europe carte
/ blanche.
/ these, then, are tho collections OF the
world. and q glance shows Us that single
modest individual, Berthold NeuinOgen,
! living continualy i'll New York City, and
having but moderate means, has far out
stripped royalty, the museums of France
! and Germany, and in twenty years has
nearly equaled the work of the British
! Museum. which is backed by untold
wealth, the Government sending collect
ors with all of its great military excur-
/ sions and missionaries, and has been en-
gagged in the work tor one hundred and
thirty years-a proud record both for the
man aud for this country.
Indeed, from an American standpoint
the Neumoegen collection by ali authori
tios is admitted to be the most important
/ in the world, for while il is eXIraordina-
rily rich in all material it is richest IN the
| fauna of this continent. Ia another re-
/ spect is it most remarkable, and that is
| the condition, preparation and arrange
| ment of the specimens. Whereas i'll the
majority of collections the insects are too
frequently marred, rubbed, split or poorly
mounted, in the Neumoegen collection
all is perfection in spreading and in gen
eral arrangement. Indeed, one must
| marvel to see the pristine beauty OF the
most delicate insects so admirably pre-
/ served when he remem berS that they
have come wrapped in papers and packed
in cotton from the jungles of New Guinea,
from the forests of the Amazon, the
mountain tops of Orizaba, Chin borazo,
Pixies Peak, Mount Hood, the Alps, the
| Ural Mountains and the Himalayas, be-
sides the most distant corners of the
globe.
NAMING NEW SPECIMENS.
When a specimen Is captured which
after examination proves to be new tc
Awarded Highest
gM EA "a -