8 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 



serves you," replied Hal. " Soon as I catch one I put a 

 drop of this to its nose, and put it to sleep so that it 

 will feel no pain. Then I fasten it with a pin to one of 

 those pieces of cork you see in the box. I put the butter- 

 flies to sleep before taking them from the net, or else they 

 would flutter and struggle so as to destroy all the delicate 

 down on their wings. But you shall see. Come along." 



The noon sun had spread its full glory of warmth and 

 light through the air, and the boys stepped very cautiously, 

 for Hal said they might find a butterfly hovering over any 

 of the old logs that lay scattered about in the grass. 



"Keep a little behind me, Tom," said Hal; "for the 

 Antiopa are very shy, and if I see one lighted I want to 

 throw my net over it before anything starts it. This kind 

 fly very high, and it is n't easy to chase them." 



"Why, Hal, I thought you had just begun to study 

 Lepi — What do you call it ? But you seem to know 

 all about the habits of the butterflies now." 



" Of course I have had to study some before beginning 

 to catch them," replied Hal; "and, besides, last Autumn 

 I hunted and found a few, but I was awkward then, and 

 tore them all to pieces trying to arrange thfem on the 

 corks. — Stop ! stop ! There 's one lighted on that old log." 



Hal stole softly along, and threw his net, but the beau- 

 tiful insect floated up over the roof of the barn, and 

 finally lighted far above Hal's reach. Hal did not stop 



