BUTTERFLY PSYCHOLOGY. 143 



Each thistle-head consists of some two hun- 

 dred separate little bell-shaped blossoms, 

 crowded together for the sake of conspicuous- 

 ness into a single group, just as the blossoms 

 of the lilac or the syringa are crowded into 

 larger though less dense clusters ; and, as 

 each separate floret has a nectary of its 

 own, the bee or butterfly who lights upon 

 the compound flower-group can busy himself 

 for a minute or two in getting at the various 

 drops of honey without the necessity for 

 any further change of position than that of 

 revolving upon his own axis. Hence these 

 composite flowers are great favourites with 

 all insects whose suckers are long enough to 

 reach the bottom of their slender tubes. 



The butterfly's view of life is doubtless 

 on the whole a cheerful one. Yet his exist- 

 ence must be something so nearly mechanical 

 that we probably overrate the amount of 

 enjoyment which he derives from flitting 

 about so airily among the flowers, and pass- 

 ing his days in the unbroken amusement of 



