PREHISTORIC BOTANISTS. 133 
cabbage, horseradish, kohl-rabi, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, turnip, 
or radish, the “fragrant wallflower gay,” or 
“lady’s-smock, all silver white,” 
it is all one to them. Among all the members of this mustard- 
loving tribe, whether American or exotic, whether among the 
yellow mustard-fields of Holland or the peppergrass of the New 
England road-side, the Cruczferous plants are to them the cream’ 
and spice of all creation. 
The botanical characters of this order are quite distinct, it is 
true. It is not difficult to trace a plant to this tribe by the qua- 
ternate petals and construction of its fruit, those important requi- 
sites for the human botanist, but the insight of our white butter- 
fly is not so superficial. There are neither flowers nor fruit on 
many of the plants at the time they are selected by the in- 
sect; and furthermore, in anticipation of the possible suggestion 
that this selection may be the result of reminiscent associations 
from a previous caterpillar state, 1 may mention the interesting 
fact that I have seen this same white butterfly singling out with 
marked partiality all the turnip roots and radishes from among 
the baskets of a grocery shop in the city streets. These roots, of 
course, the insect could never have tasted nor seen, even though 
the previous caterpillar had possessed the power of vision, which 
is denied by entomologists. 
What lover of the country will not own his tribute to the 
omnipresent little yellow butterfly, companion of our September 
fields, its folded wings, like a tiny rudder of gold, taking the helm 
of all the wind-blown golden-rods of the road-sides, whose bright 
bevies circle the borders of every mud-puddle, rising from their 
obscurity to swarm in mazy tangle about our carriage as we 
pass? Honey sippers and tipplers, they now would seem to fulfil 
the impeachment of the “idle revellers” of the poet; but such 
inference is unjust, for though now content in the sweets of 
aster, solidago, and other autumn blossoms, these are but their 
recess flowers. Their previous and most busy attention has 
