1 88 THE INSECT WORLD. 



in the same place, the ground becomes, as it were, sprinkled witl 

 drops of blood. Hence the origin of some of those pretended shoiver, 

 of blood, which, at different periods, have terrified the ignorant, toe 

 much imbued with religious superstitions. 



At the beginning of the month of July, 1608, one of thesi 

 supposed showers of blood fell on the outskirts of Aix, in Provence 

 and this rain extended for the distance of half a league from th' 

 town. Some priests of the town deceived themselves, or, desirou 

 of turning to account the credulity of the people, did not hesitate t( 

 attribute this event to Satanic agency. Fortunately, a learned mar 

 M. de Peiresc, who was not only well versed in the knowledge of ancien 

 literature, but who was, moreover, familiar with the natural sciences 

 discovered that a prodigious multitude of butterflies were flying abou 

 in the places which were thus miraculously covered with blood. H 

 collected some chrysalides and put them into a box, and letting ther 

 hatch there, observed the blood-like liquid, and hastened to make 

 known to the friends of the miraculous. He established the fact the 

 the supposed drops of blood were only found in cavities, in interstice: 

 under the copings of walls, &c., and never on the surface of stone 

 turned upwards ; and proved by these observations that they wer 

 drops of a red liquid deposited by the butterflies. 



However, in spite of the reassuring remarks of the learned Peires( 

 the people in the outskirts of Aix continued to feel a genuine terrc 

 at the sight of these tears of blood which stained the soil. Peiree 

 attributes to this same cause some other showers of blood related 1: 

 historians, and which took place about the same season. Such Wc^ 

 a shower which was supposed to have fallen in the time of Childeber 

 at Paris, and in a house in the territory of Senlis. Such again was 

 so-called bloody shower which showed itself towards the end of Jun 

 during the reign of King Robert of France. Reaumur points 01 

 the large Tortoise-shell as being the most capable of spreading the; 

 sorts of alarms, founded on a deplorable ignorance and the spirit ' 

 superstition. 



" Thousands," says he, " change into pupse towards the end 

 May or the beginning of June. Before their transformation th( 

 leave the trees, often fastening themselves to walls, and, making the 

 way into country-houses, they suspend themselves to the frames 

 doors, &c. If the butterflies which come out of them towards tl 

 end of June or the beginning of July were all to fly together, the 

 would be enough of them to form little clouds or swarms, and co 

 sequently there would be enough to cover the stones in certa 

 locahties with spots of a blood-red colour, and to make those wl 



