The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-08-12
ON THE WING.
In Northern Australia the Butterfly
Is Hunted With Shot.

IN TNOTtucTn AubtTdud TIC DutSClhy
Is Hunted With Shot. Vs..
In the forests Of northern Australia
lives a butterfly which is always hunt
ed with powder and shot. This is
brilliant-hued creature. highly valued
by collectors. 1t Is very shy. and how
ers about the upper branches OF the
trees, seldom approaching within twen-
ty feet OF the ground, says Samuel H.
Adams in the Youths Companion. IL
travelling American naturalist went to
Australia determined to get some per-
feet specimens OF this rare insect. For
several days he strove with long nets
and short nets to entrap some Of the
beautiful creatures Of the upper air.
He raised ladders and climbed trees
at the peril Of life and limb, but tho
wary butterflies kept beyond range OF
his swooping net. Yankee ingenuity
was not to be beaten so easily, how
ever. The entomologist hit upon the
brilliant idea Of a decoy. Loading his
gun with the smallest shot he had. he
brought down one Of the high-fyers.
1t was badly battered, but he patched
and furbished 1t up to an appearance
OF respectability. and spread it on q
bush top in a conspicuous spot ten
feet above the ground, arranging tho
wings with as ciose O resemblance to
life as possible. Curiosity is beset-
ting falling of butterflies. Presently
two Of them noticed. their departed
comrade, and began to circle lower
and lower and lower above the bush.
Others joined the investigation. and
finally the patient collector was able to
capture one Of them by swift move
ment. This sent the Others soaring
away in alarm, but In q few moments
they were back again, and before tho
day was over the naturalists ingenuity
was rewarded by the capture of half .
dozen perfect specimens, which after
ward 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 capture
OF some rare South American butter
flies several years ago. An entomolo-
gist, travelling on the Orinoco, failed,
after many attempts. to take a single
specimen OF swallowtail butterfly
which haunted the upper foliage of the
forest. One day his party came across
a band OF half-savage natives, armed
with blowguns, bows and spears. one
OF whom offered to supply the collec-
tor with number Of the desired in
sects at price. An offer OF twenty
five cents a specimen represented opu-
lence to the native. who returned on
the following evening with six of the
butterfies-all perfect or nearly SO.
How the Indion could catch the shy
and delicate insect, which he himself.
with all the implements of the chacs
could not capture, was a problem 10
the traveller. Not until he was about
to leave would the native explain. His
method was very simple, he said. and
pointed to his bowgun, weapon with
which these people are marvelously
accurate and deadly marksmen. even
killing big game with darts blown
from them. He had marked down"
his butterfly, waited for 1t to slight.
and then shot pellet to the Leaf
upon which 1t was poising. The im-
pact was sufficient to stun the prey
and bring 1t to the ground without in>
jurin2 its fragile wings.