THE SWALLOW-TAILS 



hand at our leisure. This was a fascinating oc- 

 cupation, for at every movement of the graceful 

 body a blue-green wave of metallic sheen would 

 start somewhere in the blackness of the velvet 

 front wings and surge and break over the hind 

 wings in a shimmering glow that sent a thrill 

 of delight to our color-loving senses. When we 

 followed it around we found that though it flut- 

 tered lazily and aimlessly on, it knew quite well 

 what it was about and did not choose to let us 

 come too near. 



An interesting fact about the male of the spe- 

 cies is that he has the inner margin of the hind 

 wing folded over, including scent-scales. This 

 unique pocket full of perfume he undoubtedly 

 carries for the purpose of attracting and delight- 

 ing his lady-love. 



These butterflies, being very fond of nectar, 

 visit many flowers and are especially useful in 

 carrying the pollen baskets of the orchids. 

 When we look at the weird flower called the 

 Dutchman's-pipe and see how curiously it is ar- 

 ranged to be an effective death-trap to smaller 

 insects, we feel that poetic justice is meted to the 

 plant which produces it, when we find its large 

 round leaves eaten greedily by a robust cater- 

 pillar. The long projecting filaments give the 



67 



