The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-30
nnn Laka II IN Another snnnIman with n Gil qht

quickly that It 10 of before the sEool
! can take Il in. Another specimen with a fiiGh
! like flash Of lightning Is the Pyrameis alta
from the dash ~ scarlct on the upper wing. Ye
! the admiral may be taken with the fingers. Il
light aud spreading is wings II the collector
throw his shadow upon IT the wings instantly
close. Then, by slow motions. he may 9dvapct
his hand and close his fingers over the shut
wings, bqt an nnwa5y , mlotl iI. sends t the
is In some years very scarce and in Others
extremely common. Several years ago a
these 6S S rm a. chq
so thick was the mass. that the alarmed cot
tageers a, ilrst took It for tornado cloud a
superstit!ous inhabitants. proved to be bits OF
the wings UI swarm Of thistle butterflies
which had flown over the place.
Far down by the edge Of the swamp
The phacton tits easy TO see.
He thrusts his naxilla far into the flowers
And ways his antennG with glee.
Thus sings lepidopteric poet in spirit Of
scientific accuracy To look at the long winged.
dark notified specimens Of the MeitPa phae-
ton in the Hoffman collection one would not sup
pose. that they had embodied spirit Of mis-
chic. The phaaton butterfly is. however. sort
Of daylight wll.o wisp. Turing the pnr,
daintly on swaying swamp flowers lust out
Of the nets reach, while the ,entomolo-
Yielding mud He, needs patience and
caution who would capture the rhaeton
haunt There is difiic1ty, also, in the capture
OF the satyrs. or wood butterflies. which are
represented In this collection by case shoT.
ever is not characterized by the calm respecta-
hoyygR the ar in sa TE Of
Jerks. and when pursued makes for the nearest
thlcket. wherein II lodges among the smsI
strive in vain to emulate. In the open how
ever the wood butterflies arc easy to take.
lection are those containing the hair streaks
LTheclasl and the equally ,diminutive Pamphlets
and arh lscnne One Of the hair streaks the
meadow It Is almost impossihlo to distinguish
the most beautiful butterflies in the world is
the little Lycana pseudargiolus. whose wings
Gre OF the color Of the mid.sky in June. It
OF the small butterflies. easy OF capture. as 1t Is
eaprnnbl.s Of swift and sustained flight: Others
of color Some of the TherlR and PamphiB
spread considerably less than an inch from
From the smallest to the largest there la no
butterfly ia the collection but that shows TO tho
careful observer beauties of form and color.
has been adopted there has been much more
public interest in the lepihopterR. as their
beauties be- are shown of far better than hy the
OF the comments, and questions which the at
PENDANTS hear from visitors regarding the
questions Is whether the butterflies sting or
bite. Occasionally woman wishes to know II
they eat clothes. like moth-millers. While
The SUN reporter was looking at the collection
recently woman near him announced to her
companion that she had made queer dis
covery.
That butterfly" she said pointing to yell
low banded heliconian from the Mexican bor-
der. Ia painted that way Nobody can tell me
IT isn't. because I've got piece OF silk at home
OF exactly that pattern. Maybe the butterfly Is
made out Of silk Looks to me like an imita-
ton. now that notice it."
Another woman. some time ago. ask ed one Of
the attendants where she could buy some but
terfiies. He referred her to an expert who
could give her the address OF the butterfly ex-
change In London.
" want half dozen" she said. "and I want
them mounted on wires"
They don't do 1t that way any more" said
the attendant
..'I'll have to have them So" said the woman.
want them to trim a hat with"
You couldn't wear 1t moro than once. The
wings break off at a very light touch"
On. can afford it," said the woman; and
4, would be so pretty while they lasted I'd
like one like that. and one like that and these
two. and that big bla OK and red one. and this
one with so many colors. How much would
The attendant. who knows something OF en-
tomology. made rapid calculation and told
her hat she had picked out particularly fine
specimens and they would probably cost her
about $50. She has not been seen in the mu-
scum wearing that hat as yet.