Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-05

Dear Children-At all seasons of the year
the world of nature is full of surprises If
one will only look for them, but this is
especially true during this summer season.
For this reason, and because it is vacation
time. when you have plenty of time to look
for these surprises, we are forming
nature story club which you are all invited
TO join. There are no obligations beyond
sending us short letters and telling us
which story pleases you best, what subject
you wish to take up. and if you have
cameras, sending us photographs of any
thing that may interest you or our young
members. AS our plan develops we shall
tell you how to form little branch clubs of
your own through which you will derive
much pleasure. AS this is nearing the time
for the arrival of the archippus, a beauti-
full butterfly measuring from three to four
and half inches across its outspread
wings. let me tell you a story about four
of these butterflies which lived many weeks
in New York pets of little boy of four.
The archippus loves the sunshine and has a
very leiSurely and graceful manner of fly
ing about from flower to flower. as if it
were enjoying life as much as it possibly
could. There is butterfly that takes
such strong hold of ones fingers with it's
feet as the archippus. 1t is not bright
In color some other butterflies, but the
wings are tawny orange and are beautifully
bordered with black dotted with white.
Fine black veins cross the wings, and on
the tip of the fore wing are several yellow
and white spots extending up on the front
border. The under sides of the wings are
deep yellow. bordered and yeined like the
upper sides. The head and the thorax
which is the chest part. are black, spotted
with white, and the slender feelers or an
tennae end in long knob.
Now that YOU know what they look Ike
perhaps you may see one some bright July
Gay and understand the pleasure of the
IttC boy referred to above, whose name
was Harold and whose story / am telling
you When out in the fields one day near
Bayonne, n. j., he met two young butter
fly hunters (boys of about twelve), who
had in their possession three very large
archippus butterflies. Harold was charm
ed with the pretty creatures and stood
quite still, gazing eager-eyed and wiStful
one OF the older boys suggested to the
other that one OF the butterflies should be
given to him, and 1t was instantly and
kindly done. Harold heartily thanked them
and took home his prize very carefully.
After weeks fitting about on a sunny
window, during which time it gave much
pleasure to Harold. this butterfly escaped
through an unnOticed crack, but before he
left he had been taught to feed quietly
from Harolds finger, d glass a flower.
Our little four-year-old then said to his
mother: We must go and look for another
or shall have TO cry Some of the neigh
boring boys discovered Harold's sorrow
w t4 MS IOSS anu SOOH DTOuSnJ MIN several
others equally large and beautiful. In one
day one OF these butterflies was taught to
eat the sugar syrup with which they were
1ed-but the others waited several days be-
fore they seemed to understand what was
being done. In teaching them it was neces-
sary TO handle them very gently. always
closing the wings and holding the butterfly
by them near the head. releasing the feet
very carefully at the same time with the
other hand. because of the strong grasp
they take of any surface they touch. The