WILD PASTURES 



the time. He came to the woodland 

 hall in his greatcoat. This he sheds 

 for a domino, in which he masquerades 

 for a time. Then he bursts forth for 

 the final festivities in a robe of princely 

 beauty. 



My chrysalids did this only the other 

 day. Wonderful creatures of black 

 and yellow came forth, stretched their 

 wings till I could see the dainty shad- 

 ing of blue and the peacock-feather eye 

 of red and black on the lower part of 

 the secondary wings; then, as I opened 

 the window they dashed madly away 

 as the vanessas do from willow twigs in 

 the cove. The butterfly has been held 

 up to us as an example of lazy dalli- 

 ance. I have never watched one that 

 was not as busy as a politician on elec- 

 tion day. Especially do those just 

 wakened from the chrysalis form rush 

 170 



