The San Francisco call., 1910-05-22
By Lucia Shepardson

D1 L<oOAo A(AANk(eAlN
IT is a curious fact that. while men
and women Journey far aield to be-
hold the wonders Of the earth. nine
tenths Of them leave unseen at their
very doors matters of as great II not
greater interest.
An excellent illustration is found at
the little seaside resort Of Pacific
Grove. on the lower point of Monterey
bay. For at least part of the year. If
not permanently, men of letters and
education not a few abide here. trav-
eled. cultured. well read. yet all un-
aware that close at hand there is a
marvel which scientists would travel
very far to see were ii but known TO
them And tourists passing through the
peninsula exclaim, in delight as they
drive along the smooth roads of the
beautiful cypress forests, or they wan
der about the old and historic town OF
Monterey. gazing with eager interest
at the ancient,custom house. the tumble
down theater where Jenny Lind is said
to have once sung, the mission and other
landmarks Of similar import. Then
:hey take their departure, not knowing
that they have left unseen one of the
rarest, most wonderful and most lovely
sights to be found in all the world.
In the months between midautumn
and midspring countless large brown
butterflies fit about In the gardens of
Pacific Grove and the immediate vicin-
fly. Flowers bloom the year round
with much the same luxuriance and
butterflies seem so natural az adjunct
Of blossoming gardens that at first they
DO not attract your attention especially.
But after a time you realize that the
season is winter, and that butterflies
are popularIy supposed to hibernate in
winter
Where do they come from? Why
are they here at this time of the year?'
you inquire of some resident of the
town.
"Oh. they're always around here"
viii be the reply.
You must seek for yourself better
answer to. your question. If you follow
the broad road leading TO the light
house on Point Pinos-Lghthouse ave
nue.. it is calIed-you viii notice that
the numbers Of the big brown winged
insects increase as you proceed out of
the town. They are upon the pine
trees. they light upon the low under
brush and the wayside flowers. If you
go far enough you viii come to a
group OF four or five tall pines on the
right hand side of the road literally
swsrsning with them. Here is the win
ter home of the butterflies. This seems
a thing scarcely to be credited, but it is
true. The, fact that it rs so little known
is almost as difficult to believe as the
self To my certain knowledge these
BUTTERFLIES have appeared as regularly
In this identical spot each autumn dur
ing the last Il years as the seasons
have changed There seems to be no
way in which it can be definitely ascer
tained just when they first began to
make this their rendezvous
Their appearance here in such un-
usual aggregations each fall points to
but one thing-a great annual nigra-
tion from the colder regions of the
coast TO place more favorable for
t9eIr existence during the winter. In
r>his remarkable movement one species
alone is represented, the species COM
monty called the monarch. 1t differs
from all others of its kind in that it
does not hibernate as proper butterflies
should. but repairing. TO a suitable eli
mate lives throughout the winter in all
the glory or its winged beauty while
its lesser and humber brethren are in
the stupid caterpillar state of life The
fact that they do not hibernate has
been known to scientists for some time,
but the places to which they migrate
have not yet been located by the men
OF wisdom. w. }. Holland, one of the
most eminent authorities on entomology
in America. says: This butterfly (the
monarch, or Anosia Plexippus Lin