The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-30
A NJ ERICAN BUTTERFLIES.
DEAN BOFFMAN'S COLLECTION or
NORTH zMERIC ~ SPECIES.


Complete and Artistic chronological
Show - beauties, Moral Qualities and
ElusveneH of some ButterhieA - ODD
Comments by visitors at the Museum
BY far the most complete and artistic ento-
molog ica collection ever on public exhibition
In this city IL the Hoffman collection Of North
American butterflies. which was recently nut
in the cases and is still in process OF arrange
ment and classification by label at the Museum
Natural History II represents years Of
--'nl aoion'inc work bv the Very Rev, Eu-
gene Augustus Hoffman. ID. D.. LII. d.. Of tho
General Theological Seminary Of this city
cross country hunts with the net. patient cu-
ture of specimens from tho caterpillar, through
th" chrysalid state to the developed butter
ny. and exchanges with collectors In all
parts Of the country. Instead OF making
a general chronological collection. Dean
Hoffman has devoted his chief energy
to forming n complete representation OF
all the butterfly species known to tho North
American scientist from the brilliant. flashing
forest lovers Of southern Florida and Texas to
the neutral coored winged flowers that futter
up Along the Alaskan mountain slopes to per-
ish on tho snow fields and in 80 far as Is possi-
bic IL n branch OF natural history where new
spc SIC are being constantly discovered and
presuma bly, are being constantly developed by
The changing conditions OF nature. he has been
successful in his aim. No moths or other In
sects arc TO be found in tho Hoffman cases.
TIL" only respect In which it transcends Its
score " be a collect ion of North American but
teriies is that there Is one case OF the wonder
ful meta lc blue butterflies of Brazil
Not only to the scientist does this collection
appeal. Every lover of beauty will find in it
wonders Of beautiful coloring. for Nature has
Ui hA heIt o. an n
terhies. On their delicatelv scaled wings are
the gold and silver Of tho depths Of earth. the
scarlet Of tho gorgeous tanager. the changing
ruby of the humminghird's throat, the rides
cent greens and reds of the opal, the absolute
blue OF the midsummer skies and such soft
shades OF Grays and pearls and clouded whites
a. the cunning Of the artist can never hope to
emulate. Tho mountings are admirably suited
TO showing forth their beauties. for each spec-
mon is set In the Denton method. in block OF
pure white plaster. with glass over it for pro-
lection. and the scientific and common
names of tho insect are appended. to-
eether with Information as to its habi-
tat and the plant upon which its larva
lives. Each ono OF these winged creatures has
its own particular habits and peculiarities OF
night or rest even its own specific moral at
tributes. so to speak. which the collector
learns In his pursuit OF them. One species. for
instance. has the besetting sin OF curiosity.
another is timd and at the slightest alarm flies
high In the air and stays there until the dan
ger 10 over. while a third is impudently bold.
aud. trusting in the swift ness OF its Jerk flight.
has been known land in tho case Of a cele-
brated lepidoptera colectorl to light upon tho
nose Of the hunter and cling there until the in
voluntary wrnkhng OF the organ disodRed
1t before the indignant collector could swoop it
in with his net
Perhaps tho most attractive butterflies to the
general observer are those OF the Papilo fam
lily. commonly called swallow-tails. because OF a
projection from the lower wings not unlike the
caudal appendage OF a dress coat. Most OF
them are OF sober but very rich hue as BELTS
full dress butterflies but the turnus butterfly.
tho high flyer OF the family. is splendid In tiger
stripes OF yellow and black. This is a common
species. but would be difficult to catch. on ac-
count Of It's preference for the branches OF big
trees, il 1t weren't for its curiosity. All that
the collector has to do to get batch OF tur-
muses. is to go to a small clear spot near the
edge Of woods and hold up his net In the air.
whore 1t will be presently espied by Papilio
Tnrnus. Esq.
All" says he. there is something haven't
observed before. I'll have to go down and see
about IT,"
Then he comes down from his perch and
swoops gracefully q bout. mall king circles around
the net. with an occasional futter Just over II:
but it Is not wise for the hunter to essay to
swoop him In. Better 1t is to wait. for he will
presently fly up to tell his friends OF his dis
covery.
There's queer sort OF an arrangement
down here" he informs them. Il Just discov-
cred it. It's white and stands still. Come
down and take look at It,"
Whereupon the whole crowd come down
and dare ono another to examine the net, each
one flying little closer than his predecessor
and II the col lector be quick Of eye and strong
OF wrist he may capture on the wing four or
five cut Of the crowd before fear conquers curl
osity and drives the rest away. One variety
OF the female turnus shown in this collection
is the glaucus and by some freak of nature.
for the explanation of which science is still
cropping. is a blue-b black with spots. instead Of
striped yellow and black. like tho normal lady
turnus. Others OF this family arc the beautiful
irihescent bluish -greenish-h black philemon. the
briGht-spotted asterias. and the delicate pale
blue AJAX. with black slashes on its wings and
3Wallow tails. SO long and slender and sharp
that they look like rapier blades. As a family
the Pspos are the largest butterflies ioundn
regarded as the aristocracy OF butterfly society.
AZ the other end Of the scale locally are the
Riefis butterflies. represented by the despsed
tcnebTT n,rnr, th hs ay@ Of Wheh o6GG
pnappeasah 10 appetite. But there are Pieris
butterflies in the Hoffman collection that one
would never think OF connecting with our
common white hutterer-specimens with curl
ouSly clouded pearly wings specimens with
reddlsh;orange bands. like academic sashes,
across them specimens all notified and mar
bled with traceries that suggest ancient In
eoriptions, and the curiously marked Piers
mari which nhabits the arctic regions Of this
continent and keeps flying most of the
time to preserve itself from freeAing. An
other air wanderer OF the far north il
the Parnassus norm ion. or Alaskan noun
tain butterfly. large. mottled. black
and-white insect. with orange eye spots on
the lower wings This species is found upon
the sides OF the Alaskan mountains. and such
are its aspirations to higher life that the HUI
man mountain cl mber sometimes finds its
dead body on the barren snowfelds. AS, there
stone crop; The hyphen indicates that Its diet
Is vegetarian and not meteorological. All the
Patnassians are mountain dwellers, and In the
colleotlon there are species from the Rockies
the Sierras and the mountains of British CO.
nmbia. AS the mountain butterfly won't come
TO the chronological NJ ahomet. Mahomet has
TO go to the mountain butterfly. wherefore the
latter is highly regarded by collectors because
OF the difficulty OF acquisition.
For regardless splendor of colorinR. the
Catopsiiia philea (oranRe sulphur butterfly Is
Of the first o ass, 1t looks like bit OF orange