138 THE BOOK OF THE OPEN AIR 



is out in moist places in the birch wood, Common Blue their near relative head 



and flies often by day. I watched one downward ; but perhaps this was 



settle on the trunk of a birch tree. It exceptional, due to some chance dis- 



has some dark fluff or fur, that stands turbance I can hardly imagine 



out like a hump or excrescence on the the sleeping habits of the Common 



back, which really does remind one of Blue differ from those of his first 



the dark, rough cork of the birch trunk cousin. 



near the ground. If this were the Nobody could doubt that to watch 



usual resting-place of Golden Y, it butterflies and moths is to train the 



would seem very like a matching pre- eye to beauty on a scale of exquisite, 



caution ; but there is no evidence to if tiny, perfection ; this is absolutely 



speak of that Golden Y moths prefer plain to every seeing, thinking man. 



for sleeping quarters the rough, corky But a study of the habits, minutiae of 



trunk of the birches ; I think my moth minutiae, of such little things how 



settled thereon by chance. I found can this avail human beings ? it may 



him first amid the copse grasses and be asked. Is not the man who does 



cross-leaved heather, and I found it rather like Browning's grammarian, 



another Golden Y moth next day who fiddled away his life on Greek 



resting off the birch trunk in the under- enclitics and particles, holding forth 



cover of the wood. on them till he was dead from his feet 



In the lane end are still a few Silver- to his waist ? Would it not be wiser 



spotted Blue butterflies, sucking the to aim at the million and chance missing 



bird's-foot trefoil and the bramble- the unit ? Yes, but in these units 



blossoms : a month ago there were secrets of life secrets of whence, 



dozens. The Silver-spotted, with lilac- whither, why are concentrated. In 



blue wings and their clear fringe of the end we may know ourselves through 



white, is quite as lovely a little flyer a blue butterfly. Only we must watch 



as the Common Blue butterfly ; indeed, and record, utterly careless of any 



in minutiae and perhaps because he is theory ; if this butterfly's nightdress 



not so common ! I think him the does not mimic its surroundings, we 



choicer of the two. Of the sleeping must accept the fact, careless of theory, 



quarters and habits of this gay beauty Theory is a feather-weight set in the 



I know little yet ; one or two I found scale against truth, a matter of supreme 



at rest slept head upward, not like the unconcern. 



