HABITS. 121 



parison of the flight of similar species is often 

 impossible. 



This supplanting of one species by another, it 

 may v be added, is in wonderful adaptation to the 

 parallel changes going on in the vegetable world, 

 especially among the flowers. I do not know that 

 any of our naturalists or artists have written of 

 the harmony between the prevailing tints of a 

 New England landscape at different times of the 

 year, and of the insect world at the same seasons. 

 Our common butterflies, 

 which nature has been 

 at such pains to adorn, 

 show a shifting panorama 

 of form and color from 

 early spring to the time 



Of frOSt. First, in the FIG. 108.-ThanaosBrizo,nat. size; 

 -t -\ n -i under surface on right (Harris). 



sombre leafless woods 



come the various dusky wings [Fig. 108], brown 

 and black, skipping softly in and out among the 

 gray rocks and over the dry leaves and dark pools 

 of melting snow. Hard upon these, in the time 

 of early violets, and frequenting the spots most 

 loved by them, follow the little blue butterflies. 

 Then, as spring fairly bursts upon us with its fresh 

 and varied hues, come crowds of queenly swal- 

 low-tails, lustrous with metallic gleam [Fig. 109], 

 or striped and belted with gay colors ; and the 

 banded and spotted purples that court the quiet 



