PAriLIONID/E — BUTTERFLIES. 231 



saying that the curates had even ornamented the altars 

 with these pupse.^ 



The Butterfly (Ang. Sax. Buttor-fleoge, or Buter-flege) is 

 so named from the common yellow species, or from its ap- 

 pearing in the butter season. Its German names are Schmet- 

 terliiig, from schmetten, cream ; and Molkendieh, the Whey- 

 thief. The association with milk in its three forms, in butter, 

 cream, and whey, is remarkable. 



The African ]3ushmen eat the caterpillars of Butterflies ; 

 and the Natives of New Holland eat the caterpillars of a 

 species of Moth, and also a kind of Butterfly, which they 

 call Bugong, which congregates in certain districts, at par- 

 ticular seasons, in countless myriads. On these occasions 

 the native blacks assemble from far and near to collect them ; 

 and after removing the wings and down by stirring them on 

 the ground, previously heated by a large fire, winnowing 

 them, eat the bodies, or store them up for use, by pounding 

 and smoking them. The bodies of these Butterflies abound 

 in oil, and taste like nuts. When first eaten, they produce 

 violent vomitings and other debilitating eS'ects ; but these 

 go off lifter a few days, and the natives then thrive and 

 fatten exceedingly on this diet, for which they have to con- 

 tend with a black crow, which is also attracted by the Butter- 

 flies, and which they dispatch with their clubs and use also 

 as food. 



Another practice in Australia is to follow up the flight of 

 the Butterflies, and to light fires at nightfall beneath the 

 trees in which they have settled. The smoke brings the 

 insects down, when their bodies are collected and pounded 

 together into a sort of fleshy loaf ^ 



Bennet tells us the larva of a Lepidopterous insect (the 

 Bugong f) that destroys the green- wattle {Acacia decar- 

 rens) is much sought after, and considered a delicacy, by 

 the blacks of Australia. These people eat also the pink 

 grubs found in the wattle-trees, either roasted or uncooked. 

 Europeans, who have tasted of this dish, say it is not dis- 

 agreeable,^ 



Swammerdam, treating of the metamorphoses of larvse 

 into pupae and thence into perfect insects, makes the following 



1 Egypt, and Chinese, ii. 106. 



2 Simmoncrs Curios, of Food, p. 312. 



3 Gatherings of a Nat. in Austral., p. 288. 



