NYMPH ALID.E. 235 



have often seen many of these fine butterflies resting on the half- 

 decayed fruit, slowly opening and shutting together their blue, pur- 

 ple and black wiugs, the picture of satisfied contentment. They ai'e 

 very tame under these circumstances, and one may witli caution 

 move quite close to them and enjo^^ their rare beauty. 



How many happy hours slip away while one is thus engaged in 

 watching and admiring ! What a school this study of entomology is 

 for the children ! It takes them into the sunny fields, gives them 

 plenty of exercise, and fills their minds with pleasant and interesting 

 thoughts. A boy with a net in his liand, a cyanide bottle, and plenty 



Limenitis insula. Female. 



of insect papers in his pockets, and with a little encouragement in 

 the right direction from his parents, is not the boy who is likely to 

 get into mischief. His mind and time are too well occupied for that. 

 But I am wandering from my subject. Tliere is usuall}^ some dif- 

 ference in size between the sexes of this species of L/vieiiitls^ tlie male 

 being the smaller and also the blighter in coloring. The spots of 

 color are usually more sharply defined in the male, and the deep 

 orange spots on the under side are larger and more intense. Occa- 

 sionally specimens are captured, and these are always males accoi'ding 

 to my experience, which are a deep rich purple over nearly all of the 

 upper surface. These captures are raie, l)ut the insects are so 



