1 88 THE INSECT WORLD. 



in the same place, the ground becomes, as it were, sprinkled with 

 drops of blood. Hence the origin of some of those pretended showers 

 of blood, which, at different periods, have terrified the ignorant, too 

 much imbued with religious superstitions. 



At the beginning of the month of July, 1608, one of these 

 supposed showers of blood fell on the outskirts of Aix, in Provence, 

 and this rain extended for the distance of half a league from the 

 town. Some priests of the town deceived themselves, or, desirous 

 of turning to account the credulity of the people, did not hesitate to 

 attribute this event to Satanic agency. Fortunately, a learned man, 

 M. de Peiresc, who was not only well versed in the knowledge of ancient 

 literature, but who was, moreover, familiar with the natural sciences, 

 discovered that a prodigious multitude of butterflies were flying about 

 in the places which were thus miraculously covered with blood. He 

 collected some chrysalides and put them into a box, and letting them 

 hatch there, observed the blood-like liquid, and hastened to make it 

 known to the friends of the miraculous. He established the fact that 

 the supposed drops of blood were only found in cavities, in interstices, 

 under the copings of walls, &c., and never on the surface of stones 

 turned upwards ; and proved by these observations that they were 

 drops of a red liquid deposited by the butterflies. 



However, in spite of the reassuring remarks of the learned Peiresc, 

 the people in the outskirts of Aix continued to feel a genuine terror 

 at the sight of these tears of blood which stained the soil. Peiresc 

 attributes to this same cause some other showers of blood related by 

 historians, and which took place about the same season. Such was 

 a shower which was supposed to have fallen in the time of Childebert, 

 at Paris, and in a house in the territory of Senlis. Such again was a 

 so-called bloody shower which showed itself towards the end of June, 

 during the reign of King Robert of France. Reaumur points out 

 the large Tortoise-shell as being the most capable of spreading these 

 sorts of alarms, founded on a deplorable ignorance and the spirit of 

 superstition. 



" Thousands," says he, " change into pupae towards the end of 

 May or the beginning of June. Before their transformation they 

 leave the trees, often fastening themselves to walls, and, making their 

 way into country-houses, they suspend themselves to the frames of 

 doors, &c. If the butterflies which come out of them towards the 

 end of June or the beginning of July were all to fly together, there 

 would be enough of them to form little clouds or swarms, and con- 

 sequently there would be enough to cover the stones in certain 

 localities with spots of a blood-red colour, and to make those who 



