Evening star., 1927-04-25

Doth treckled With black. NOiseleSSly
she sank down beside him and was
engrossed i'm trying to mix upon the
palette the exact shade OF coppery
bronze when q stone came rolling
down the HILL
She glanced up and there already
half way down the slope was the
young professor, carrying a butterfly
net and other paraphernalia of his
trade.
II beg your pardon" he called
down removing his hat but not paus.
ing in the rapid descent. II hope I
did not startle you. loosened a
stone as I came down" Arrived at
the bottom he exclaimed. upon my
word, what pretty sight And you
are painting them, I see May I
have a lock at your pretty models?"
Very courteous and agreeable he
looked as he stood there smiling. bare
headed In the sun. Why should she
stand upon couyentionalities? She
thought Of the cocksure Gladys Wa.
ters.
dial tone,
a very pretty sightt' But as he
made this affirmation his eyes were
still occupied with the artist and nor
the models.
do you know when 7 first caught
sight Of you in that white dress among
all that green, I mistoolt you for
some splendid new species Of wild
fiower-say spring beauty. American
grandifora," ne suggested, his smile
deepening.
Say nettle, or al best common gar
den variety" corrected Alice, smiling
back. but YOU haven't looked at
my butterflies yet. DO you want any
of them for specimens7"
He stepped to the brink OF the ledge
and his eve travelled over the family
stirring mass Of coIOrs.
Then he turned back II think not,
thank you, I'm only out for celeb
rites"
won't you tell me their names"
requested Alice. 'and something about
them? Why do they stick TO that
mud like so many flies TO chocolate
icing2"
Z hate to destroy any Of your iIlu-
sions, but these exquisite creatures
are mud-suckers and that's what they
are doing now. come and I'll gladly
tell you their names" He knelt down
at the brink Of the ledge and Alice
/ Snet down beside him.
over here-the light taWny-browu
one with black borders and veins and
I a double row of white spots on the
costal and outer borders Of the wings
is the monarch (Anosia plexippusl See
that black spot on the hind wings2 II
is pouch containing scent scales tan
droconia, we call them) to fascinate
his lady love"
Really" exclaimed Alice.
"Oh, yes" the young man assured
her. "A good many species have them
Among the butterflies it's the male
that is addicted to perfumes and cos
netics.
And this rather small coppery-
brown one with the orange band"
/ inquired Alice, for the errent stranger,
frightened away by the falling stone.
had returned to sip nectar from a
neighbOring thistle. Hes a new one.
/ never saw him before"
He leaned forward TO get a better
view.
"By Georger' he exclaimed, and she
felt him stiffen as ne gazed, "ff it isn't
-' and he reeled off another long
Latin name.
Say that again. please" laughed
Alice. But he paid no heed. He
reached back for the butterfly net
swiftly and silently he got to his feet
and like q panther, moved toward the
prey. Just as the net was poised the
quarry filtered to goldenrod some
10 feet away. Alice did not move or
speak. The second attempt was sue
cessful and the hunter returned with
the prize fluttering in the net,
TAKE a good look" he advised. cit
may be long time before you see an.
other. This is Chrysophanus thoa
tnicknamed the bronze copper, and
though his habitat is from the Con
necticut River to Nebraska, he is
rare bird just the same. Moreover
there is a price Of a hundred and fifty
dollars on his head"
"A hundred and fifty dollars" cried
Alice, opening wide her hazel eyes.
for that little brown thing not more
than an inch and half across?"
The young professor smiled. 'Yes.
and huf.1red and fifty more If we
can locate TIE mate. which probably
is somewhere close about. A rich oil
man. who is a Gtlettante entomOlogist
and collector, has advertised q reward
Of $500 in a nature journal for the pair
or half tie sum for either one. Now,
I'll just take look and see If she's
having a chocolate sundae down there
with her friends before 1 scout around
in the bushes"
And sure enough she was and in a
few minutes Mrs. Chrysophanus thoe
was resting beside her husband in the
cyanide bottle, She differed "a having
front wings of orange-red with more
conspicuous black spots and in being
brighter orange below than the male.
cit win take about q half hour in
the killing bottle the professor ins
formed her, and in the meantime
we'll sit here and talk. Then III
take them out and put them on the
spreading board and brace the wings
with cardboard so YOU viii have per-
feet specimens, and in two or three
days they'll be ready FOR you TO send
off and collect your reward"
why, it's not my reward cried
Alice. 'It's yours! Yours by right
of capture and superior knowledge
"No-yOurs by right of discovery
which Is the paramount right Of all"
''IlI tell you what" the girl proposed
eagerly, "we1l share it."
''I'll tell you what" countered the
young man promptly, wen do moth
ing Of the sort, and IL you talk any
more about It you'll spoil an otherwise
perfect morning"
Whereupon Alice thanked him very
prettily and changed the subject Tell
me-" she urged some more Of the
wonderful things you know about ma
ture"
They talked until noon. during
which time Alice revised her opinion
OF insect hunting being q tame and
Iadylike pursuit for a man. AS she
listened 10 journeys into remote lands
and uninhabited wilds in behalf of va
rious museums or the Department of
Agriculture. she learned the tracking
of this small quarry was attended
with as many dangers and thrills az
elephant hunting In the African jungle.
He seemed more of an explorer than
n school teacher. and he confided 10
Alice his hope Of soon dropping the