The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-12
IN THE BUTTERFLY TRADE.
AN INTERESTING BUSINESS CARRIED
ON IN MASSACHUSETTS,.
moths FROM Every Quarter or the GIobe--Deii-
cate work In Restoring DamaEed Parts OF
specinrns-Queer Facts About Butterniess

cate work In Restoring Damaged Parts OF
specim-ns-oueer Facts About ButtcrniNs.
From tire Boston Evcnfno Transcript.
There are probably hundreds. II not thou
sands, Of butterfly collectors in this countrf,
but 1t is doubtful II thorc are many who rain
their livelihood In this way, rs Ia done by the
four Denton brothers OF Wellesley, who have
among thom one OF the finest, and certainly one
OF the most beautiful collections in the world.
comprising specimens from India, China, South
America, and many othor distant countries.
Large and fine as their collection II, however,
II contains only a small part Of the butterflies
that they have collected, as almost all Of thom
are sold TO museums, collectors, OF simply as
house Tor as they mount them, they
are objects OF great beauty and are preserved
in such n way IA to give every opportunity for
the display OF their fine points. while they win
last for an indefinite number Of years.
They began this work In the usual amateur
manner, and simply for their own amusement
but instead OF becoming tired Of 1t and drop
ping 1t as Is tho case with most amateur col
lectors. they became more and more Interested
and their methods attracted so much atten-
ton and interest in outsiders that they finally
found II advisable to adopt this as their life
work. How extensive a business 1t 10 may be
judged from the fact that they have found 10
profitable to mako a journey Of six months to
ooNtn AMERICA, LOT inc purpose OF lncTeeSinb
the size Of their collection. and that they have
In India, China, and several other parts OF the
word AGENTS who collect for them and ship the
butterflies to them here.
Tho work Of preparing the butterflies for sale
and exhibition Ii all done In a small building
back OF their hoIsc on Washington street 40
Wellesley. and Keeps them bury nearly all the
time that they are not collecting. When the
butterflies are rent or brought In, each is In .
small paper folder. which protects 1t from fro.
ton or hreakage. The insects arc laid with
their wings together and pressed, being then
pat into the folder. and shipped in small boEes,
enough being put into each box TO prevent
them from slipping about, In this way the In
sects arrive in very good condition. although
they are. of cour-s. very dry and brittle II they
have come a long distance. In order to get rid
Of this drynees. which would maze II impos-
s:ble to work on them. thet are put into a boz
with a lo, OF wet pnper, and the dampness from
this soon saturates them and makes them soft
again, and easily shaped. The next part Of the
work Is in repairing what damage they have
sustained. for, OF course, in spite OF the care OF
shipping. they are not as perfect as before thoy
were caught. and there is a great deal OF deli
cate work on them before they are ready fo8
cxhib ,tlon or sale.
II may be that the delicate fur has boon
brushed from ;hcir wings In places, showing,
when held to the light, small transparent pots,
perhaps the size Of u pinhead, perhaps Q little
larger OF smaller. To conceal those, the undeF.
side Of the wing. or the side that is not to DO
shown, is brushed with a black varnish, which
forms a coating that entirely conceals the do
feet. II there is some more serious defect, like
the loss OF an antenna, or q piece Clipped from
the edge OF the wing. the work is more difficult.
There are in every shipment numbers Of butter-
flies 20 damaged as TO be not worth the repair
Ing, and these are saved and used for patching
up the Others. Surprising q piece to be gone
from the edge Of a wing. the pile Of discarded
ones is hunted through until another wing 10
found Of exactly the same texture and color,
aaa y yala!! piece OF hi. !e placed on the undar
side OF the damaged one and fastened with .
thin varnish, the edge then being trimmed into
shape with a fine pair Of scissors. In this way
is as perfect as the day he escaped from his
cocoon.
work OF mounting, which Is done BY the DentonD
in an original aud especially beautiful manner.
slight depression IN the middle. This receives
the body Of the insect, and the wings are spread
Ing on a thin coating Of white varnish. which
holds hem out perfectly smooth Sthd ana q nat lat, a a. s6e 90
n The slf isse }gs' h ths siE' it Of s iii 1 %ofe 4 srn nsn l AND G Z
bound about the glass and plaster, Just q .
BOARD cove cover L for 0G the 6o a"a H' Of the iS'G BLOCK. The
whole makes a compact mounting In which the
without danger Of injury to It's delicate winge
by an accidental blow. keeps it from fading, and
charm 70 perfectly as when it was alive. The
pure white OF the plaster. toe gives the nosi per
c%o!orinrs o. most Of The Specimens.
Mounted in this way a drawer full OF butter
cious CONS. for, although many OF our native
20; to te comp4Ted VIII, the averas" of those
these dead heavy black al!erpates with bril-;
liant crimson. yellow and gold. nvid greens and
times in broad bands and blotches Of glowing
color and in others in wonderfully delicate and
t on tGS xt iTaef IS a,s ""f fnf k "a / more rhf be] ss1'aiafrii
than anything, We have here. some Of them hay.
I'M sSs.t h ssSEyIc ti ;b,i slG Ss1 iha' skGeed asb that prS o5 sss
While others have the deep. changing lustre OF
gems or liqqids.
morrho, which is On inhabitant OF South Amert-
ca. The distinctive c9,orinG OF this. species Is
dark to almost a pale green. The wings arc
usually nearly all Of ibis color, although some
white, and a.! of them have a hard iridescent
sheen, which chsnSes shade like a pigeons
!hiS shs. Wien fSis -" t,, "a sSTaGs to Is sT ssen to ah Is per- Of
lection in the 2pa! butterfly which Is one Of
deal Of thickness, with The changing lusre and
'ANsP .p me NiD VI y auSh II Sp0i.
Another beautiful one is the OrnithoptAra
Gro sus, which Is also one of the rarest but
,crnics In The world. II Is an tnhabitAnt of In
d!a, and even there Is rarely eeen and dificult
10 secure. II Is OF deep dead black with broad
sp!o,cheS on HE wings, which arc exactly the
color OF new. untarni. he'd gold, It's name bo-
ing given II for this Characteristic.
Perhaps Ito most interesting thing in look
ing over the Dentors' collection Is to have
them explain the wonderful ways in which
thcy arc protected fro!n their natural enemies.
the birds. Perhaps the most remarkable In
stance OF the way in which this If done Is the
.eef butterfly, a native NJ India. The uppe
side OF this insects wings have the character.
isticslly brilliant colorinG of Its country. but
the under side Is OF q dull brown. the siRnih'
canoe OF which Is not seen until the insect
slights and loses II wings. When 1t is in thia
position II has exactly the appearance In shape
had color ot u dead ieuf. and this lie so exact
;hat even the little dark spots caused by do
caying fungi on the leaves are reproduced.
What is most wonderful Of all is that these
spots vary. and In different, specimens hs We the
appearance of different kinds OF fungi. the imi,
taiion being invariably "A perfect one. -.
THIS characteristic is {" he seen In nearly al
klnHz Df lllIVrHiAs ila pnIDr aida NJ tho wing