Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-08-22
HUNTING THE BUTTERFJY.
Is Done with Powder and Shot in Northe1
Australia.

Australia.
Youths Companion.
In the forests of Northern Australia
lives butterfly which is alw avs hunted
with powder and shot, This is a
brilliant-hued creature, highly valued
| by collectors. 1t is very shy, and hovers
| about the upper branches OF the trees,
seldom approaching within 20 feet of
| the ground.
For long time the only specimens in
| collections we're the frayed and be-
drsggle1 individuals which, because Of
injuries to their wings, had dropped
beluw their zone of fight.
travelling naturalist went
to Australia determined to get some
perfect specimens of this rare insect
Fer several days he strove with long
nets and short nets tu entiap soma OF
the beautiful creatures in tho upper
air. He raised ladders and climbed
trees at the peril of life and limb, hut
the wary butterflies kept beyond range
OF his sweeping net. Yankee ingenuity
was not TO be beaten so easily, however.
The entomologist. hit upon the brilliant
idea Of a decoy.
Loading his gun with the smallest
shot he had, he brought down one of
.Ho h'kh-HJofd. ~ Was DhulV battered,
but he patched and furnished it ur 10
az appearance OF resi- eoiahility, and
spread it on o bush top ia a conspicu-
GUS SPOT 10 feet above the grcuud,
arranging the wings with Ms close a
resemblance to life as possible
Curiosity is besetting failure of
butterflies. Presently two Of them
noticed their departed comrade, and
began to circle lower and lower above
the bush. Others joined the investipa.
ticn, and finally the patient collector
was able to capture one of them by
swift movement. This sent the others
soaring away in alarm, hut in few
moments thoy were back again, and
before the day was over the naturaist's
ingenuity was rewarded hy the capture
OF half dozen perfect specimens, which
afterward became the property of
various scientific museums. Since then
this has been the recognized method of
taking that species of insect.
Somewhat similar was the capturs of
some rare South American butterflies
several years ago. An ontomolopist
travelling on the Crinoco failed after
many attempts to take single speci-
men OF swnllowtail butterfly, which
haunted the upper foliage of the forest.
one Gay ms party came across band
OF half-savage natives, armed with
blow guns, bows and spears, one of
whom offered to supply the collector
with number OF the desired insects at
a price.
An offer of % cents a specimen rem
resented oppulence to the native, who
returned on the following evening with
six of the butterfips-all perfect or
nearly so. How the Indian could
catch the shy and delicate insect, which
be himself, with all the implements of
the. chase, could not capture, was
problem TO the traveller.
Not until he was about to leave would
the native explain. His method was
very simple, he said, and pointed Ito
MS blow-gun, weapon with which
these Ieople are marvelously accurate
and deadly marksmen, even killing big
game with darts used from them. He
had marked down. his butterfly.
waited for it to alight and then shot
pellet to the leaf upon which il was
posing. The imracts was leufioient
TIC stun the prey and bring Ut 10 the
ground without iniuring it's fragile
wings.