140 A GARDEN OF PLEASURE 



each other hotly. Besides the multitudes, 

 of common and uncommon white butter- 

 flies and little cloudlets of the azure-winged 

 Alexis, Peacocks, and Tortoiseshells, and 

 Painted ladies in troops with now and 

 then a rarer clouded yellow Colias, or rapid 

 Fritillary, disport themselves up and down 

 the glade till past mid-day. Long may 

 their happy world be unknown to green 

 gauze nets and murderous ammonia bottles! 

 I am curious to know if any variation has 

 ever been observed in the markings of the 

 wings of these insects. I have for years 

 closely examined Peacocks and Tortoise- 

 shells and Atalantas, and can never find 

 the colours or patterns to vary in the least 

 degree from those of the oldest specimens 

 I can remember. In the glade dragon-flies 

 dart fiercely to and fro, -and wild ' bees are 

 busy on their threshold old.' The honey 

 gathered on that Hampshire coast is 

 crystal pale this summer. It was made, as 

 I was told, from fruit tree blossoms in the 

 spring, the long-continued drought having 

 dried up every drop of honey in the 

 heather-bells. 



