A BUTTERFLY EPISODE. 



to make straight, on his emergence from 

 the chrysalis, for this white-flowered cow- 

 parsnip ; which, indeed, is the favourite 

 perching-place of all his race, and which 

 effectually conceals him from the prying 

 eyes of birds that fain would prey upon 

 him, yet of whose very existence he, a 

 crawling caterpillar, was till this moment 

 ignorant ? Surely that shows in his small 

 brain some curious pre-existent picture, as 

 it were, of this unknown cow-parsnip a 

 picture which enabled him to recognize it 

 offhand when seen, and to steer for it at 

 once with unerring instinct." 



As I watched, the timid creature, feel- 

 ing his wings at last, made up his tiny 

 mind to spread those untried vans, and 

 venture into the unknown on the undreamt- 

 of pinions. So he opened them wide, and 

 displayed himself in _his glory as a full- 

 fledged orange-tip. His colours were still 

 quite fresh, his feathery scales unspoiled 

 by rain, or wind, or enemies. I gazed at 



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