The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-09
SOME OF THE NEW BOOKS
DIR. Hollands Carefully Prepared
Work on Butterflies.

There is one class of natural history
works in which a new book is a rarity. and
when one does appear it is worthy of ex-
tended mention for the sake of the vast la
Dor it has required, labor which is beyond
the possibility of pecunary reward. This
natural history topic 10 which alusion is
made is the one on lepidoptera, moths and
butterflies. Only at long intervals is a
volume of merit on this topic published
and those who take a delight in studying
the beautiful butterflies of North America,
on which continent almost twice as many
species are found as in Europe, owe debt
OF gratitude TO w. j. Holland, chancellor
of the Western University OF Pennsylvania,
who has just issued through the Doubleday
& Mcclure Company, New York publishers
a volume entitled The Butterfly Book"
DR.. Holland is the present American au-
thority on butterflies, and has the finest
collection of North American varieties in
existence. He has been able TO do what
Edwards, Scudder ard other writers were
not able to do on account of the limitations
Of photogI Apply ana co4or application in their
day. Professor Holland has photographed
directly from the butterflies. and il MS col
Ors he has obtained all those delicate effects
portant in classifying species which snow
slight variations. The student of butterflies
has heretofore found himself frequently con-
fused by dissimiar markings on butterflies
which seemed to belong to the same species
But in Professor Hollands book these varia-
lions are pointed out more clearly perhaps
than in any other work written by an Amer
lean authority. First considering the
ma -alC duct ion m N
plates, the reviewer of his book is loath
to believe they were reproduced in any other
manner than by actually photographing the
colors. for it would seem almost impossi-
bic to give all the minute standings with d
brush or any other process save that of the
camera and yet the writer of this article
does not recall any report of the perfec-
ton of a process of photOgrap hing cOlors,
at least such a process as would be re-
CURED TO give the enects obtained in Prof
hollands plates. However, a careful
scrutiny has famed to show even slight ae-
fects in these Plates OF which there are
1Orty-elght in the book.
Prof holland aim has been to popularize
the study of butterflies, and, as he says,
success IN this direction would not only fur
nlsh great many people with pleasure ana
satisfaction which only those VINO have fol-
lowed the beautiful airy creatures can un-
uerStand, but it would have the effect of
turning numerous young naturalists away
against
the song birds. There is little danger OF a
butterny species becoming extinct through
the enthusiasm, and the numbers OF cO1ec-
TORS, altnCuBn so much cannot be said TOR
the feathered sOngSters. Prof. Holland has
an excellent faculty of maknG himself
clear, a feat somewhat difficult in discussing
a topic of this kind, but, while his language
Isl simple. he goes sufficiently into detaus
TO leave nothing TO be desired. L ne various
Stages IN the transition from the embryo to
the butterfly are set out in a manner which
would scarcely confuse child. With his
description are intelligent explanations as to
the probable or apparent reason why nature
decreed each feature of the transition 10 De
just as 1t Is. His chapter on collecting and
preserving the insects and raising the ca ter
pillars is d valuable one to collectors. There
has been no little difficulty In years past in
properly preserving butterflies and moths,
Tor they are liable to attack by minute in
sectS, and frequently an eXudatiOn of grease
from the bodles OF the preserved insects
may destroy d very valuable collection.
EIof. Hollands wide experience in collect
ing gives unusual Importance to his ObSer-
vauons along this line. glance through
the text of his volume shows some changes,
over say ten years ago, in the classification
OF butterflies.
About sixteen years ago there was much
interest in this city among schOoiboys in
the study of lepidoptera, and this interest
progressed much farther than passing fad
or Schoolboy Whlm. Intelligent study
OF the species, and an enthusiasm and am
bition to make original discoveries moved
these young naturallStS. An AgasSiz aSSo-
citation, composed of young people, flour
ished and lie OPP lar branch was uu riff s.
There were famous haunts around Indian
apOiS in those days, and these young peO-
pie, now grown men, look back fondly to the
secrets of nature they apparently discovered
at that time. North or the Atlas engine
works was a wild, impenetrable swamp con-
tanning mysteries of mysteries-South Amer
lea it was called-and here rare species Of
butterflies We're found. SaSSafraS bushes
grew along the old State ditch in this neign-
borhoOd, and the peculiar species whose
larva fed on the sassafras was hunted here
Sometimes the boys would spend days in
searching for walnut groves where they
might come upon the huge, green cater
pillar, whose cocoon would be the home of
the beautiful Attacus Luna, q rare mOIn. IN
the winter time any number OF lads could
be seen going along The rows of downtown
naples stripping the limbs of the cOcOOns,
which turned out the common Attacus Ce-
crOpia, or occasionally an Attacus Prone
theuS. 1t is recalled that from the distant
land of the MikadO some of the boys inn
ported the AttacuS Cynthia and established
this species in Indianapolis these huge olive
green moths, descendants of that original
Importation still being found now and then
fairs there were hosts of collections, ana to
take One-dOllar or twO-dOllar prize Was
about as much glory as a lad could dream
of. The fascination of this study and of the
mons and the toWery meadS, is something
which only those who have been there can
appreciate.
For the Indianapolis school children of to.
day there is no subject they can take up
which will do more to train their minds to-
wards original observation and thought than
the study of butterflies, and there is NJ book
of reference better suited for the needs of
such students than this one issued by Dr.
Holland. His publishers announce that it
will be sent postpaid approval, to be re-
turned in case it is not wanted after eX-
animation. The price of the book is S.