A BUTTERFLY TRYST 157 



proboscis that looks on a close view awkward and deli 

 cate both, but is perfectly designed for its purpose and 

 seldom injured. As the shadow of the wings fell on the 

 flowers before they settled, it frightened off the biggest 

 and most buccaneering of the bumbles, as well as the 

 lesser insects. They could not face the threat of such 

 splendour. 



When towards evening the painted lords and ladies 

 had taken their fill of honey, they would settle on the hot 

 walls of the house made of purple stone ; and from such 

 a base play a new game. They flew out at whatever 

 passed them, presuming, perhaps, that any creature in the 

 air was a painted lady. You thought that their eyes must 

 be quick and sure, for no other butterfly ever flew near 

 unchallenged ; but they must see movement rather than 

 colour or form. I tried them with success with gravel 

 and a golf ball, and even a tennis ball. The watchers on 

 the wall, curiously inconspicuous till they moved, 

 challenged each missile as it passed across their vision. 

 So will a bat, hawking flies and moths in the late evening, 

 fly at any small object you like to throw in front of it. 

 The morning flight over the valerian was slow and 

 luxurious, often almost a hover, like the spring flight of 

 a pigeon or tree pipit. In the courting hour of the eve 

 ning the flight was quick and direct, as a swallow s or 

 homing duck s. 



All these painted ladies were in the bloom of a perfect 

 plumage, strangely contrasted with the red admirals that 

 joined them. I would call the red admiral the most 

 perfectly coloured of all our butterflies. The bright and 

 variegated red against the luminous black is beyond com 

 parison ; but some of these admirals were scarcely 

 recognisable and were completely outshone. They were 

 dusty and tousled with long hibernation, gaps were 



