PROCESSION OF THE SEASONS 179 



different times of the year, and of the insect world 

 at the same seasons. Our common butterflies, 

 which nature has been at such pains to adorn, show 

 a shifting panorama of form and color from early 

 spring to the time of frost. First in the sombre 

 leafless woods come the various dusky wings, brown 

 and black, skipping softly in and out among the 

 gray rocks and over the dry leaves and dark 

 pools of melting snow, or sunning themselves on 

 dry sticks athwart the sun. Hard upon these, 

 in the time of early violets and hepaticas and fre- 

 quenting the spots most loved by them, follow 

 the little blue butterflies, scarce larger than the 

 flowers. Then, as spring fairly bursts upon us 

 with its fresh and varied hues, come crowds 

 of queenly swallow-tails, lustrous with metallic 

 gleam, or striped and belted with gay colors ; 

 and the banded and spotted purples that court the 

 quiet forest road and the brink of the mountain 

 brook ; the soft white butterflies, that look too 

 pure for earth, less retiring than the last, float 

 about our gardens, alas ! on sad intent ; while the 

 brisk little tawny and black skippers everywhere 

 bustle and whisk about. Summer, with its blaz- 

 ing sun and diversified blossoms, brings us the 

 hot-looking coppers, and all that dappled band of 



