The Cairo bulletin., 1909-11-14
BUTTERFLIES. Mf
Great Collection IN Field Museum si
Natural History.

Natural History.
The largest aud most complete col-l
lection of moths and butterflies in
America, and one Of the largest and
best IN the world, is now In the pos
session OF the Field Museum OF Nat
ssal History in Chicago. This won
derful exhibit OF specimens was col
leeted by the late DR. Herman Streck-
er, Of Reading, Pa, and was sold to-
the Chicago institution for the sum
of $20,oo0. Even this large sum. ac-
cordiHg to Prof. William J. Gerhard,
assistant curator of the division OF
entomology, In whose care the COLI
lection has been placed, is far below
she actual value OF the specimens. 81
Z The collection represents practically
the life work of Or. Strecker. Al
though by profession he was q sculp-
tor of no little note, his extreme love
for nature could not find expression
IN marble, and he gradually drdfted,
into the more absorbing study OF err.
tomology. He soon acquired world
wide fame in this new branch and
took rank with the leading entomoio-f
gists of the world He wrote several,
large books, illustrated with life-size,
colored steel engrayings. These hooka
now rank as ieading authorities on
the subject,
Nearly 100000 specimens, from ai
Ismost every part Of the globe. are In
the collection. There Is the extra
ordinary moth argus, from West
Africa, a small fesh-colored creature,
measuring three inches from tip 10
tip, which has hind wings, protrudins
almost seven inches: and there Is the
/ famous Semiramis found only in the
little country OF Surnam, somewhat
similar 70 the Argus, bat slightly
larger es, ..,-s. t...s-.- .-..A...,-.
Il Some OF the butterflies, are curious
| Ii marked Ons, the deaths head,
has on its wings the exact reproduo-
tion of "a skull and erossbones, An
4 other. found only in parts OF South
America, has the figure IS depicted
| plainly in Jet black on it's stlNery
wings. Two OF the most valuable are
the two specimens of the gems Par.
naeeus. II Is said that at one tina,
ke was offered $500 apiece for these
little fellows. There are few Of thest
butterflies in existence. and they aFF
found only in the highest parts Of tht
Himalaya mountains.
The largest member of the butterfly
| tribe Is the great owl moth OF Brazil
| OF which there are several aiie speci-
mems in, the collection. They are OF a
mottled gray color and measure \.
| inches across the wings The mon
sser. Atlas. moth of China IA i close
second TO the Brazilian, having a
spread Of 101s inches and tails I inch,
es in length. In the Br0oklyn Insti.
tute IS a butterfly from Eastern Asia
said TO be valued at the fabulous price
| of $4,000 The Strecker collection has
both male and female Of the, samf
both in perfect state OF presefya.
ton They are of the family Papille
neumoegenii variety. Other extreme.
ly rare members o. the group are thu
Ornithoptera, the Paradise, The Elwet
from Western China, the Tithonus
and the Hecuba, found In the forests
OF Dutch Guiana,
Most Interesting, from the scientific
standpoint are the examples OF di.
morphism to be found In the colleG,
ton. These are cases whore ths
specimens has the characteristics 0i
both the female and the male. On
one side of the body the wing will
be plainly that OF the female animal
while on the other side the wing O
the male member Of the family will
be as clearly depicted
In beauty the golden Paris grouI
from India, the gorgeous Rhipeus D
Madagascar and its no less resplehd
ent cousin, the Croesns, from zsnzi
kar, are easily in the lead, fashini
and interblending their eolors in tn
5 most wonderful manner.
A little greenish yellow specimen
quite like the ordinary yellow butter
Nv OF the present day, but OF whic,
particular kind there are only sevel
known to be in existence, has an In
teresting history. 1t came froH
Boothia Felix, we'll up around tn
north pole. where 1t was captured B.
members Of the second Ross espedi
ti0n in the year 1929 while a searcl
for the northwest passage was beinl
made, 1t also has the reputation .
being taken at the highest latitude A
which a butterfly has even been seeil
Professor Gerhard Is engaged II
preparing the collection for exhibition
which task probably will occupy
months time, when It will be plaeu,
in the corridors OF the big museum
building, open to the inspection .
the publicChicago Daily News