FLIGHT OF INSECTS 89 



its body immediately behind the shoulders, when 

 its head will take flies and endeavour to swallow 

 them, even although it has no stomach to put 

 them in ! 



It is a strong, swift, beautiful flier, and is very 

 attractive as it flashes to and fro in the sunlight, its 

 wings flashing and glowing with bronze iridescent 

 colours; their bodies vary in colour, in some black 

 prevails, in others green, blue, and red. Some- 

 times when in full flight it will suddenly check 

 itself, pulling up with a crackling shudder, pro- 

 ducing a sound like pieces of stiff silk rubbed 

 smartly together. 



Butterflies when flying have a floundering, and, 

 one might say, apparently meaningless flight, as if 

 unable to regulate and control their movements. 

 This singular mode of flight is caused by a series of 

 zig-zags, having an intermittent longer one like a 

 flutter, but the Butterfly has its flight well under 

 control, and one may see it now and again alight- 

 ing on coloured objects or flowers, a stone, a 

 thistle bloom, or a horse-knot; but to see a Butter- 

 fly in an active state it is a good plan to put 

 down some bruised, half-fermented plums. This 

 fruit has a great attraction for Fritillaries, Red 

 Admirals, and others of the Butterfly family. 



While writing of the delicate and simple Butter- 

 fly, there are certain actions about it which are 

 peculiar — such as instinct versus reason. Suppose 



