WITH INSECT WINGS 181 



for instance (to mention some of the least intel- 

 ligent), learn the floral geography of their favourite 

 resorts. I have seen a peacock butterfly go from 

 point to point across a steep-sided valley, to the 

 distance of a hundred and fifty yards at least, to 

 visit a clump of flowers ; and return, after a rest, 

 to the former position. His flight was so direct 

 that he must have known the exact spot where 

 the journey would end ; and though at first he 

 must have found his way at the height of only a 

 few yards above ground, he had sense enough to 

 adopt the shorter route, though it led over the tops 

 of trees growing in the bottom of the valley. A 

 small telescope enabled me to follow the move- 

 ments of this insect almost throughout the whole 

 journey. After tasting the sweets of the hemp 

 agrimony for awhile, for which he had made the 

 journey, the butterfly fluttered up, and came sail- 

 ing back to his old position on the sunnier side of 

 the valley. 



The peacock butterfly is not the only British 

 one that is known to sometimes fly high in air ; 

 the much rarer "emperor" has the habit of soar- 

 ing loftily ; and I witnessed the same incident in 



