Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-02-06
AN ODD OCCUPATION
GIRL CATCHES BUTTERFLIES AND
BEETLES IN CALIFORNIA.
CELLAR A BEETLE NURSERY
Finds an Insect That a French Scholar
Had Travelled Miles to See-ln-
dams Very Useful in Aiding Her
With Her Work.


Mary Yeomans, an English girl who
settled with two brothers in California,
has developed a profitable industry in
catching butterflies. She had some
knowledge of butterflies when she
went there. One day flock of yellow
pansy-like butterflies lowered a mo-
ment over her and then flew to patch
of yellow honeysuckle. She followed
the butterflies up the steep mountain
side. She thought she recognized
them as a species known only in the
higher Alps, and very rare and valu-
able.
When at last | did get one in my
kind" she said in telling about her
business. Il was too excited to wait
till morning, which is the best time
to catch butterflies. because they are
sluggish then in the cold, damp fol
iage. | caught six before night, and
the rest of the flock in the morning. l
pinned one out carefully and sketched
it in water color. I had to be saving
Of my postage, so | sent the sketch in
stead of box of butterflies home to
England. Such a long wait as it wasl
And fancy my delight when I had word
at last to send all the butterflies to
London. You would never guess what
they offered me for them-$25 each,
and as there were twenty-three of
them, had the tidy little sum Of $575,
all my own, and the first money | ever
earned in my life That was my be-
ginning, and l was always on the look
out for butterflies. With my money /
bought ten fancy sheep"
Miss Yeomans' cellar is not for eat
ables, but is for nursery for beetles.
What appears to be unsplit stove wood
lies in rows on the floor Each piece
has been split, but tied together again.
and in each piece are different species
of beetles. They eat wood, making
their way out, and lay their eggs in the
wood
Il keep watch, and when d beetle
gets to the surface l put it back she
odIu Inc uCSI fdludUlt OuS! II dill
depends on the demand A beetle is
worth just what | can get for it. DR..
LIE Fontain, who came out from France
to study the insects of California, came
to our house by chance. He did not
tell us who he was, merely that he
was a stranger passing through the
country, but when / CHANGED to see
him before dawn creeping with a
candle in his hand under the pine
trees, knew he must be after insects.
He was in raptures over d beauty he
had found, and when | told him about
my butterflies and showed him what
had, he forgot his English and rhap-
sOdized in French. He taught me a
great deal about beetles and told me of
certain one he was most eager to
find in California. He believed it was
here, though he could not find it. 1t
had been found only in italy, and had
almost disappeared All! you had bet
ter not look at it; you will be disap-
pointed"
She poked about in a box of twigs
and produced what seemed a most
ordinary little black bug with long,
slender legs, and then she placed be-
side it little round red one. no larger
than pin head.
The tiny one is the one witch DR..
LIE Fontain travelled miles and miles
to find and could mott found it. The
other is the beauty he caught under
lection of beetles is not complete with
out all the different species. Some
are very common, but others are most
difficult to find. DR.. lie Fontain made
me sketch of the beetle he was look
ing for, and then we went out to find
a mate for the beauty he had caught
in the morning; for where one is, more
are sure to be. We found four. and
they were the ancestors Of the ones 7
have here. That is, a butterfly or q
beetle in ali it's stages from the egg
to the perfect creature-each stage
shown by a specimen and tackled in
order on card. l always make notes
as 10 time each state requires, and
food and where the life was lived. He
was so kind and interested I was de-
lighted when at last found the beetle
he wanted. 1t was three summers
later, and made long journey for it.
had wanted for so long to go back to
the Redwoods we passed coming up.
Brother and l made the journey on
horseback, and camped a week right
In the heart Of the belt. It was there
L found my beetle. I carried a white
sheet along and spread it on the
ground. Taking up an armful of dried
pine needles, l shook it over the sheet.
If any Of the fallen particles scuttled
OH, knew it was an insect, and one of
the scuttling specks was my long
Wlshed-for, much-desired beetle.
The Indians know about butterflies
and know where to find them, and they
are the only ones who have helped me
to any extent except a Chfnaman. 7
nave great respect for Cinnamon and
indians; they see things which few
| OF our own white civilized men can
comprehend, even though it means
dollars.