SWALLOW-TAIL BUTTERFLY. 6r 



size, being about four inches across the wings, which are of 

 a pale creamy-yellow, barred and margined with blue and black, 

 velvety in its appearance, and with a well-defined ' tail ' to 

 each of its under wings, above which is a red spot, the swallow- 

 tail butterfly is one of the most beautiful of all butterflies. It 

 is rare save in its head-quarters, which are the fens of Norfolk 

 and Cambridge, and is justly considered a prize by a young 

 collector. Frank immediately ran the yacht ashore, and Dick 

 jumped out and rushed at the gorgeous insect with his net. 

 Alas ! he struck too wildly and missed it, and it rose in the air 

 and flew far away, leaving Dick lamenting. Frank laughed and 

 said, 



4i Ah, you went at it too rashly. You should have given it 



SWALLOW-TAIL BUTTERFLY. 



him with more of the snaviter in modo and less of the fortiter 

 in re. Here comes another. Let me have a try ! " 



Dick yielded up possession of the net to him, and he advanced 

 slowly and cautiously to where the swallow-tail was sunning 

 himself on an early tuft of meadow-sweet, which the warm 

 weather had tempted to bloom earlier than usual, and to perfume 

 the air with its strong fragrance on the last day of May. 



Frank's approach had too much of the suaviterin modo, for the 

 butterfly flew away long before he reached it. Frank forgot all 

 about the snaviter in modo then. He dashed after it at the 

 top of his speed, making frantic dashes at it with his net, and 

 jumping over soft ground, with utter disregard to all dangerous 

 places. He followed it for some distance, and then he suddenly 

 disappeared, and to their dismay they heard him shouting 

 loudly for help. 



