PREHISTORIC BOTANISTS. 1 ~ 



cabbage, horseradish, kohl-rabi, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, turnip, 

 or radish, the " fragrant wallflower gay," or 



" lady's-smock, all silver white," 



it is all one to them. Among all the members of this mustard- 

 loving tribe, whether American or exotic, whether among the 

 yellow mustard -fields of Holland or the peppergrass of the New 

 England road -side, the Cruciferous plants are to them the cream 

 and spice of all creation. 



The botanical characters of this order are quite distinct, it is 

 true. It is not difficult to trace a plant to this tribe by the qua- 

 ternate petals and construction of its fruit, those important requi- 

 sites for the human botanist, but the insight of our white butter- 

 fly is not so superficial. There are neither flowers nor fruit on 

 many of the plants at the time they are selected by the in- 

 sect; and furthermore, in anticipation of the possible suggestion 

 that this selection may be the result of reminiscent associations 

 from a previous caterpillar state, I may mention the interesting 

 fact that I have seen this same white butterfly singling out with 

 marked partiality all the turnip roots and radishes from among 

 the baskets of a grocery shop in the city streets. These roots, of 

 course, the insect could never have tasted nor seen, even though 

 the previous caterpillar had possessed the power of vision, which 

 is denied by entomologists. 



What lover of the country will not own his tribute to the 

 omnipresent little yellow butterfly, companion of our September 

 fields, its folded wings, like a tiny rudder of gold, taking the helm 

 of all the wind-blown golden- rods of the road-sides, whose bright 

 bevies circle the borders of every mud -puddle, rising from their 

 obscurity to swarm in mazy tangle about our carnage as we 

 pass? Honey sippers and tipplers, they now would seem to fulfil 

 the impeachment of the "idle revellers" of the poet; but such 

 inference is unjust, for though now content in the sweets of 

 aster, solidago, and other autumn blossoms, these are but their 

 recess flowers. Their previous and most busy attention has 



