AUGUST 139 



yellow Fleabane ; and here a legion of 

 butterflies perpetually dance and play, 

 and make merry in the sunny weather. 

 It should make amends for much sorrow 

 in the world of Nature to see these 

 thousands of beautiful creatures, secure 

 and happy in their innocent joy. 



Along this green glade your feet are 

 every moment ensnared by long-reaching 

 brambles, and every step disperses a 

 fluttering cloud of butterflies. They are 

 so tame that scarcely will they rise at 

 your approach, often giving the observer 

 time to stoop and examine with a lens 

 their spangled wings and silver-topped 

 antennae and busy proboscis. The Fleabane 

 is the butterflies' dear delight. (Did not 

 the child who called them ' flutterbyes ' hit 

 upon a better name ?) Two or three of 

 diverse kinds will often prank their wings, 

 and unrolling long black tongues, dig for 

 honey settled together on the same flower, 

 though flowers may not be few; but when 

 a Painted lady (Vanessa cardui), and a 

 silver-spotted Fritillary meet on one flower 

 they are sure to fall out, and rising chase 



