Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-22
RAREsT OF BUTTERFIaEs.
NcumocUcn Collection Admired ny
Pupils I'm brooklyn schools.

Montague street. Brooklyn. yesterday af-
ternoon. where the wonderful Neu-
moegen collection Of butterflies and moths
is on exhibition under the auspices
Of the Brooklyn Institute. 1t was not
a special day in the history OF the cxhi
bitiOn-only one of the many, wsen the
particularly-invited guests Of the insti-
tuto, pupils of the upper grade public
schools responded TO the invitation OK
tended them. and delighted themselves
and other visitors with their "Ohsr' and
"Ahsl" of appreciation.
These ordinations were not out of
place. FOR the collection is beautiful
enough TO attract the attention Of the
most unapprecative
There is sunset, sunrise and every
other beautiful color. tint and shade TO
be found in nature in this collection of
insects. with wonderful combinations OF
brown and black and gray impossible to
describe. There are brilliant cOmbina-
tons Of rich green and black. and a pref
r little wasplike creature is gowned
IN the softest shades of green
end yellow. Green Of still another shade
gives color tone to the upper
Or primary wings Of another pretty crea-
fure, while the lower wings are pansy-
tke-purple and pale violet with just a
houch of pale, soft yellow and terra
Gotta.
4 butterfly in another case might al
post be mistaken for a purple pansy from
ne colorng and marking OF both upper
and under-prmary and secondary
wings.
There are large insects OF brown and
yellow and orange, the markings in de-
cded waves of color and shades. There
A.. rs.s he frrr
brown-tipped. the body dark-brown in the
centre and bright scarlet at either end;
the tail having what looks to be a little
tuft Of scarlet feathers
The combination Of soft yellow or bun,
with the most delicate and ndescribable
shade of pink is exquisite. The rose-pink
I'm deep and delicate shades. is always
beautiful with light or dark colors.
one case Of insects is covered the
greater part Of the time. In it there are
insects eXquisitely beautiful, with very
pale shades of blue and green, the deli
cacy Of the cOl0rs accentuated i'm some
cases. by line Of rich brown, just dipped
with maroon. outlining the upper edge OF
the wing There are eyes in the marking
in which the suggestion of pink or yellow
may be seen. The coloring is so delicate
that without n covering II fades IN the
bright daylight.
Beautiful insects OF tho tropics which
suhsist ON the nectar Of the orange-bloS-
som are very dark or q brownish-ycllow'
and on the dark lower wings is a touch
Of clear white, wildly conuasted with
cherry-red. Brilliant green and black IN
sects have yellow bodies, and there are
butterflies wearing black lace gowns over
a foundation of yellow satin. There are
other insects. dressed in brilliant shades
4
black. There are others, green. with pale
yellow and black. and there are pansy-hke
butterflies 300 torra-cotta shades.
Apparently nothing can be more beau
tiful than an exquisite insect with the
sheen I'm its wings of mother OF pearl
and the changing tints Of pink ana
green. This is from South America 1t
has a beautiful rival in a wonderful
specimen from Zanzibar This has mar
vellous changeable colors, and the most
brilliant ones-gold, copper. rose, blush
black, and green.
Those are our school colors,' said one
high-school boy, pointing TO a brilliant
butterfly. striped with black and red.
The small boy visitors were very much
Interested in many things. The type
forms, or original specimens, amused
them greatly These are all marked on
the glass Of the case with a green dot OF
paper. and il tickled with commercial
sense Of BroOKyn's future voters i'm
mensely 10 find that the tiniest. most in
significant. communicating little moth
was often more valuable than A magnih-
cent specimen near by. arrayed, like
Solomon. in all his glory
Tho long-tongue moth also interested
the young men greatly, and they took
their favored friends to see the specimens
h. ha1
is the moth Of whose existence Darwin
prophesied upon discovering new Bra
lillian orchid, with A throat twelve inches
long. No one believed him until the
beautiful yellow and brown insect was
eventually caught in the act Of taking
the honey from the flower. The tongue
or trunk is wound up Ike a spiral spring
when not I'm use. and measures exactly
twelve inches IN length.
one vivacious small boy was looking
anxiously for the butterfly which carries
o load OF wood but he had merely
twisted school lesson ia natural history
given upon the Neumogen collection.
There are specimens Of the Psyche moth.
but the load OF wood from which the
story comes is around the larvae Of the
insect The bagwOrm. 20 which the moth
owes It's being. has the habit Of building
a little silken sack, and covering ii with
twigs. When the caterpillar in this lit
tie house wishes 70 move, he puts out
his head and craWls along, carrying his
dwelling after him. The natives OF Cey-
ION. where the species belong, believe that
the insects are people. who In life stole
kindling wood. and In death eXpiate their
sin by the continuance Of a like habit.
There are excellent specimens in the col
lection
The deaths head moth bears on his
back. clearly marked out. a monkey
Ike little face. which makes him an OBJ
jet Of superstitious fear. In the south
Of France il IL believed that II the dust
OF the insect IS shaken into the eyes
Of a human being. as it passes through
a room II will cause blindness. The
Bugong moth Of New South Wales is
good for food
II gathers in incredible numbers upon
masses OF granite and fires are built I'M
derneath. 10 suffocate II by the natives.
Next a circular space Of ground is cleared.
and when IL has been heated sunlclently
with fire the ashes are cleared away
and the moths put In their place. The dust
and wings are winnowed from the BODY
on pieces Of bark, and the feast Is ready.
That IS. unless the moth Is TO be preserved
I'm cakes then the bodies are beaten INTO
shape Ia wooden vessel Inc people gan n
flesh on this moth diet. the bodies Of the
insect being full OF oil, ana having
sweet taste. -
The Atlas moths. from China, are big
brown creatures. with transparent spo os.
iu their wings, and are next TO the largest
specimens in the COLLECTION, or in the
world. The largest are also TO he founu
i'm another case, and measure IL lnches
across the wings.
The exhibition has probably not become
well enough known yet 20 attract as
many visitors as should see it. 1T IS some
thing Of matter OF civic pride win
Brooklyn people for the collection, which
has hardly an equal in the world, 1t is
hoped by the generosity Of the citizens
Of the city. may become a permanent
pOssessiOu OF the institute
L