Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-17

frozen zone. Ecuador abounds in insect
and animal life also. but has more table,
land than Colombia, while Costa Rica.
although limited in area. Is one of the
most prolific fields for butterflies. COM
bining those from Colombia with those
from the north.
Effects of Climate.
''IIas the climate any effect upon but
terfly life?''
Yes, indeed; as one ascends the noun
talns IL becomes very apparent. The
same species vary in size, color and bril-
nancy according to the altitude as we'll
as the latitude. The greatest varieties
and the most gorgeous colors arc found
with the greatest verdure in the damp
climates.
butterfly life varies the same as the
flora Of Il country, according to temper
allure and moisture. Brazil, for exam
pie, is rich in both, but has not the va
riety of butterflies that are found In Co.
lOmbia because IL is comparatively level.
Mature plays strange tricks sometimes
and here is one of them,' said Mr.
Schaus, as he opened a shallow drawer
filled with beautiful specimens impaled
upon long pins. These butterflies are OF
the same species, but you will no ice that
they differ decidedly in color. These were
caught on the north side of the Amazon
and the others were caught on the south
side very nearby although the river IS
very wide a that point. There is no ex-
PLANTATION. 1t is simply freak of ma ure
that the same kind of insects should be
OF different colOrS upon opposite banks
of river.
But you find the same phenomenon in
Costa RIGA. The same species of butter
fly will differ in color and in lu-rer when
found on the opposite slopes of the
mountain range which divides the Allan
tic and Pacific watersheds
Butterflies Useful Citizens.
Are butterflies useless except to orna-
ment the earth?" ] asked.
''Certainl,- not They perform a very
important service by scattering The pollen
of the flowers like the bees. Idle and
useless people are often comp -.f.i - but
terf1ies. but that Is unfair. Th,sc who
do not know about such things often
make similar mistakes.
at is not true. for example, that birds
of plnnage have no songs. Some of the
finest song birds that / know have. the
most brilliant p!umage.
I'm the highlands If Costa Rsca in the
winter season you can find all of the song
birds of North America. The most beau
tiful songster of all birds is a thrush
called the sesontle, found In the tropics
of Mexico and also in the mountains OF
Cuba.
You often hear that tropical flowers
have no fragrance. and that Is equally
untrue. The average traveller does not
see the flowers OF country. He Is Ia
miliar only with those most easily cul-
tivated. which are found in the door
yards and the parks.
1.-THE sweetest flowers in the world are
certain varieties of orchids. The stan
hoppe, for example, is more fragrant than
any other flower l know. 1t is found only
in the tropical jungles where the humid
lty is dense and the vegetation is the
rankest."
You find butterflies everywhere
Yes even In the arctic regions. wher-
ever there is vegetation. They hibernate
like bears through the winter. and will
live while frozen up in solid ice. Then.
as the ice melts in the spring. they will
come out smiling and grow through the
summer. But 1t takes two years in cold
regions to produce a brood
Not on View Till Fall.
The collection OF butterflies presented
by Mr.. Schaus will not be visible to the
public until next fall, when the new
museum building will be formally opened
He has already filled several thousand
cases. which are placed in the third
story of the west wing. but there is still
a large amount of work to he done
II. q. Dyar, custodian of the lepidop-
terra, or department of butterflies and
moths of the Smithsonian Institution
tells me there were already in the mu-
scum about 10000 specimens mostly
from North America. accommodating from
year to year by gifts and purchase
There~are altogether in the world about
fifty distinct families of butterflies and
several thousand genera. There is no