140 



WILD LIFE AT HOME. 



MEADOW-BROWNS. 



Of course, it is quite 

 possible to focus a flower 

 or other object which is 

 much frequented by 

 winged insects and secure 

 a photograph by a little 

 patient waiting. Whilst 

 wandering along a Hert- 

 fordshire lane one hot 

 morning last July we were 

 astonished to see meadow 

 brown butterflies dancing 

 hither and thither in every 

 direction. I counted over 

 a dozen upon some thistles 

 which were growing so 

 close to each other that 

 they might have been 

 covered with an ordinary 

 handkerchief, and my 

 brother fixed up his 

 camera and took the ac- 

 companying photograph 

 of one of the flowers and 

 its visitors. I noticed 

 that many of the butter- 

 flies had their wings so 

 worn and frayed that their 

 progress through the air 

 was distinctly weaker 



