Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-11-21

Horace should go round witt
him to Port Elizabeth, and stop a few
weeks at his farm, some little way
up country from that place. WheI
he was tired of that he could go OF
by rail from Cradock, and complete
his program on the Orange river.
| IF you want butterflies, my boy
said Johnny in his hearty way you
shall have lots at my place-tons OF
them after the rains; and Well have
some rafting good shooting as we'll
You can't be always running around
after bugs you know"
SO, the next day but one, Horace, lii.
tie loath, was hauled by his friend
down to the docks again, and thence
round to Port Eliza beth by steamer.
From Port Elizabeth they proceeded
partly by rail, partly by Cape cart
and horses, in a northeasterly direc-
tion, until at length, after the best
part Of a days journey Through some
wild and most BEAUTIFUL scenery, they
drove up late in the evening to a long.
low, comfOrta bic farmhouse, shaded
met and welcomed by Marley's wife
and three sturdy children. After al
lowing his friend a days rest, to un-
pack his kit and get out his gunnery
and collecting boxes, Johnny plunged
him into a vortex of sport and hard
work. A fortnight had vanished ere
Horace could cry off He had enjoyed
it all immensely; but he really must
get on with the butterflies especially
if he meant to go north to the Orange
river.
Marley pretended to grumble lit
Ule at his friends desertion of buck
shooting for MISUNDERSTANDING; but
he quickly placed at his disposal a
sharp Hottentot boy, Jacobus by
name, who knew every nook and cor
barring a little laMness, natural to
Hottentot blood, proved a perfect
treasure to the entOmOlOgfSt. The
weather was perfection. Some fine
showers had fallen, vegetation had
suddenly started into life, and the
bush was in it's glory.
Amid all this regenera ton of nature,
butterflies and insects were extremely
abundant. Horace had a great time
of it. and day after day added largely
to his collection. One morning, fit
ting about here and there, he noticed
a butterfly that seemed new to him.
He quickly had a specimen Within his
net, and, to his intense satisfaction,
found it, as he had suspected, a new
specimen 1t belonged to the genus
'Eurema contains but few
species-and somewhat resembled
"Eurema schoeneia" Trimen), a hand
some dark brown and yellow butterfly
with tailed hind-wings. But Horaces
new capture was widely different in
this respect: The whole of the under
surface of the wings was suffused
with a strong roseate pink. which
mingled here and there with the
brown, sometimes darker. sometimes
lighter in it's hue.
Here was a thrilling discOyery-a
discovery which. as Horace laughingly
said to himself. would make old Par
chell ''sit up" at their society's meet
ing next spring. Horace captured
eight more SpecimenS-th butterfly
was not too pIentiful-and then made
for home in an ecstacy of delight.
A few days after this memorable
event. he set off with Jacobus for
farmhouse thirty miles away, to the
owner of which-an English AfriSar-
der-MarIey had given him an intro
ductiOn. AS they passed near the
kloof where the new butterfly had
been discovered. which lay about half
way. Horace off-sa ddled for an hour.
and picked up half a dozen more
specimens of the new ''EuGema.
These he placed with the utmost care
in his cOllecting-boX. At noon they
sadd1ed up and rode on again. To-
wards 3 O'Clock they emerged from
the hills upon a shallow, open, grassy
valley. girt about by buShy noun
tain scenery. This small valley was
ablaZe with flowers, and butterflies
were very abundant. Getting JacObuS
to lead his horse quietly after him,
Horace wandered hither and thither
among the grass and flowers, ever
and and again sweeping up some but
terfiy that took his fancy. Suddenly.
as he opened his net to secure new
capture he uttered an exclamation Of
intense surprise. ''By all that's entO-
mological!" he cried, looking up with
a comical expression at the stolid and
uninteresting Hottentot boy; give
done it! I've hit upon the old pro-
fessor's new butterfyn'
No man could we'll be more pleased
with himself than Horace Maybold at
that moment. In ten minutes he had
within his box seven or eight more
specimens, for the butterf1y-the Won
derful. the undiscoverable "Achra ca
Parchelli"- seemed to he fairly plenti-
full
"How far are we of Mr.. Gunton's
place now, Jacobus?' asked Horace.
''Nie var, ME Baas' Not so far,
MASTERY, replied the boy in his Dutch
! patois. "'Bout one mile, 1 tink See,
dar kom another Baas!''
Horace shaded his eyes and looked.
| About $50 yards off there appeared
above the tall grass a curious figure,
, remarka bic for a huge white helmet.
! loose light coat and pink face and
blue spectacles. A green butterfly net
was borne upon the figures shoulder.
IN WIN y-.lC