Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-15

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They eat the wood, making their way out,
and lay their eggs in the wood.
Il keep watch and when a beetle gets
to the surface / put it back. The most
valuable one? 1t all depends on the de-
mand beetle is worth just what l can
get for it. Dr. lie Fontain, who came out
frCm France to study the insects of Cal
fornia came in cur house by chance. He
did not tell us who he was, merely that he
was a stranger passing through the country,
but when ! CHANGED to see him before dawn
creeping with a candle in his hand under
the pine trees l knew he must be after in
sectS. He was in raptures over a beauty he
had found, and when | told him about my
butterflies and showed him what | had, he
forget all his English and rhapsodized in
French He taught me a great deal about
beetles and told me of a certain one he was
most eager to find in California He be-
lieved it was here, though he could not find
it. 1t had been found only in Italy, and
had almost disappeared. All! You had
better not look at it; you will be disap-
pointed" She poked about in a box of
twigs and laid in my hand what was to me
a most ordinary little black bug with long,
slender legs, and then she placed beside it
little round red one, no larger than the
head of a pin.
The tiny one is the one which DR.. lie
Fontain Travelled miles and miles to find
and could mott found it. The other Is the
beauty he caught under the pine trees.
You understand, a C Election of beetles
Is not complete without all the different
species. Some are very common, but others
most difficult to find. Dr. lie Fontain
n,l,,,
ing for and then we went cut to find
mate for the beauty he had caught in the
morning, for where one is, more are su
to be. We found four, and they were the
an estors of the ones | have here. He
showed me how to make what we call
Series That is, a butterfly CT a beetle in
creature-each stage shown by a specimen
and tackled in order on a card. | always
make notes as to time each stage requires
and food and where the life was lived He
was so kind and interested / was delighted
when at last / found the beetle he wanted.
IL was three summers later and | made a
long journey for it.
Il had wanted for 50 long to go back 10
the RedwoOds we passed coming up You
stopped in the woods, and know how that
silence or the great trees haunts one WHO
has once known it. Brother Tom and |
made the journey on horseback and camped
"a week right in the heart of the belt 1t
was there | found my beetle. | carried a
white sheet along and spread it on the
ground. Taking up an armful of dried pine
needles, ! shook it over the sheet. If any
of the fallen particles scuttled off | knew
1t was an inse t, and one of the scuttling
specks was my long wished for, much-de-
sired beetle
The Indians know about butterflies, and
know where to find them, and they are the
only ones who have even helped me to any
extent except Chinaman. | have a great
regard for Cinnamon and Indians; they see
things which few of our own white civilized
men can comprehend, even though it means
dollars"
We went back to Miss Yeomans sitting
ro~ ma room speaking of more culture more
real living, than almost any room | ever
maybe because strong personalities
only lived there and their strength had not
Deeh diluted by complex living On the floor
were sklns-bear, panther coyote and many
dld not know. There were beautiful Indian
baskets with bird plumages and many books
ana engraylngs and watercoOr sketches and
piano All one end of the ROOM the only
one not having great windows looking into
the oak grove or the mountains was covered
Nlth mounted butterflies, blue and brown
ana red and pink yellow, white and colors
lor which | have no name. Each had its
story and tale OF mates which had Jour
heyed across the sea to tell those who cared
TO know that the butterflies OF California are
the most gorgeous OF all the world.