388 Foreign Literature and Science. 



trict of Grandson, (Canton de Vaud.) On the 8th or 10th 

 of that month, Madame de Meuron Wolfe, saw with surprise, 

 a crowd of objects flying by the window of their dining hall, 

 which from their number excited her attention, but distrust- 

 ing her own sight, she called her son to observe what was 

 passing upon the terrace. 



It proved to be an immense crowd of butterflies, which 

 were crossing the garden with the greatest rapidity. The 

 family left the table to see the curiosity, and although not 

 naturalists, they could but admire the beautiful spectacle. 

 The butterflies were all of one description and among the 

 most beautiful of our country. They were caught very easi- 

 ly in a net, and were recognized as the thistle butterfly, called 

 in French, the belle-dame. They all flew in the same direc- 

 tion, traversing the garden diagonally, and exactly from south 

 to north. The presence of man did not affright them, and 

 they flew very near each other. 



The stream continued more than two hours, without any 

 interruption, from the moment of their perceiving them, and 

 it is probable they had been passing some time before they 

 were noticed. The column was ten or twelve feet in breadth ; 

 they did not rest upon the flowers ; — their flight was low, ra- 

 pid, and equal. Such is the unanimous account given me 

 by the family, who examined the novelty with that kind of 

 interest which neglects no characteristic circumstance. 



But the most singular thing in this fact, is, that it concerns 

 a kind of butterfly, the caterpillars of which never live in com- 

 pany, (at least in our country,) and are isolated on leaving 

 the egg. I should have been less surprised, had it been the 

 Petite-tortue, Paon de jour, or Morio, the caterpillars of 

 which live in common and in very numerous families upon 

 the nettle and willow tree. What singular cause could have 

 produced the union of the Belle-dames, separate from their 

 birth, in so numerous a phalanx, and occasioned them to 

 leave their country, for a northern climate, mountainous and 

 severe ? From what region did they come, and in what place 

 will they rest ? 



So striking a fact should have excited attention in other 

 places, for in reality these same butterflies have been seen in 

 Piedmont, by Professor Bonelli, of the Academy of Turin, at 

 a period anterior to that of their being seen in Switzerland. 

 According to his relation, in a letter addressed to Mr. Mori- 

 cand, of the 13th of June, 1827, the appearance of the Pa- 



