Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-01-30
DR.. sTREckER's BUTTERFLIES.
Finest Collection in the Country, Some
Specimens Worth $1,000 Each.

lection of butterflies and moths which
is said to be the finest in the United
States and one of the finest in the
world 1t represented the work of so
years. To get it together he was in
correspondence with entomologists In
every cline, and he received packages
from every postal route on the globe.
Central Africa, Greenland. Iceland,
Labrador, Samoa, New Zealand. North
Cape, the mouths of the Lena, Alaska,
the Philippines. Guam, Australia, the
holy land, the Nile country. 1hibet
India, New Guinea, the Amazon
country, Patagonia, sent DR.. Strecker
butterflies. 1t was common thing
to see him go home on a street car
with a box on his lap. Asked where
1t was from he would answer "Zanzi-
bar" Straits of Magellan" "The Heb
rides or some other shore.
On week days he always appeared
in the dusty work suit of his marble
yard. He was busy upon statues or
headstones from morning until eve
ming. His breakfast was light; noon
luncheon fairly bountiful, his 6
o'clock meal frugal. but after toiling
among his butterflies from Z D. m.
until IL o'clock or perhaps midnight,
he invariably partook of hearty
meal Then he would retire for the
night.
His butterfly collection is in the top
story of his residence on Mineral
Spring road and the cabinets cover
all the walls from floor to ceiling.
There are 225,000 specimens, all
mounted on cards and labelled in
glass-covered drawers. The labor
needed to take care of them and keep
out vermin and other enemies was
great, yet to DR.. Strecker it was a
labor of love. Some time ago ne
wanted the city authorities to change
the castle-like county prison in City
park to museum. Had they done so
he would have presented his butter
fly collection to the city. The project
was never adopted, Levi Mengel.
who has a collection of $4,000 speci.
mems of bugs etc, will take care Of
DIR. Strecker's collection until other
arrangements are made. DIR. Strecker
was a well-built, white-whlskered man
of SIS and had many strange ways.
He attended the Episcopal services on
Sunday in the forenoon and devoted
part of the afternoon and night to his
flies.
One of the most difficult Jobs OF
printing ever submitted To an office
here was an index of the technical,
names of every butterfly and moth in
the world, which DR.. Strecker pre-
pared, Some OF the printers got head
aches doing the work of spelling out
the almost unpronounceable vocabu.
larry.
Years ago he determined to print
an illustrated book of butterflies He
engraved the flies on stone, for he
was quite an artist. sent the plate 10
New York, had 300 copies printed, and
then had the stone returned, when he
engraved new series of illustrations
on the same stone. Then ne returned
1t to the printer. In this way the
plate made many trips before the
work was ready to be bound. The
edition consisted of 1870 copies and
all were sold
DR.. Strecker's collectien was begun
here shortly after he left Philadelphia,
where he was born He published
several books on the study - his life
He would frequently say: Yes. it
seems to be folly, but I'm in 1t now
and cant well get out of Il. When a
collection is the delight OF mans
life his whole heart Is In II, and there
you are. While ! have spent a great
deal Of money In collecting my moths
and flies, | am glad to know that ]
have neglected nothing.
I'VE are all comfortable. and when
die some one may come along to
take up the work where / leave Off
and keep on adding to the collection
from the isles of he South Pacific
and other lands that have not yet
contributed to any collection"
DR.. Strecker's collection contains
some flies valued at 1000 each.
They are perfect Some tattered flies
OF the same species in other oollee.
tons are held at 81 900 each, also.
Some Russian grand dukes were IN
monthly correspondence with him.
His largest butterfly is about "
inches across the wings and came
from Brazil
His butterfly library consists Of
more than 1000 very large volumes in
several languages. He rarely. If
ever, spoke on his favorite subject 20
any one not scientist. In fact, he
dislihed 10 converse with unlearned
people an any scientific subject, and
1t was with great difficulty that he
could be induced to give even the
shortest answers in relation to his
collection.-Reading pa Letter in