THE SWALLOW-TAILS 



and watched it as with many slow, graceful move- 

 ments of the head it wove for itself the loop of 

 silk which we called the " swing " and which held 

 it in place after it changed to a chrysalis. We 

 wondered why such a brilliant caterpillar should 

 change to such a dull-colored object, almost the 

 color of the clapboard against which it hung. 

 Then one day we found a damp, crumpled black 

 butterfly hanging to the empty chrysalis skin, its 

 wings "all mussed," as we termed it, and we 

 gazed at it pityingly ; but even as we gazed 

 the crumpled wings expanded and then there 

 came to our childish minds a dim realization of 

 the miracle wrought within that little dingy, 

 empty shell. 



In the North this species is double-brooded, 

 and winters as a chrysalis. The adults of the 

 first brood appear in May, those of the second 

 brood about the middle of July. 



Thou winged blossom ! liberated thing ! 



What secret tie binds thee to other flowers 

 Still held within the garden's fostering? 



Will they, too, soar with the completed hours, 

 Take flight and be like thee 

 Irrevocably free, 

 Hovering at will o'er their parental bowers? 



T. W. Higginson. 



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