Beautiful Butterflies. 59 



shaped case it is that the voracious feeder goes to sleep 

 in — all points and angles, of a light green colour, with 

 yellow marks, and a row of dusky dots down each 

 side. 



There are several English counties besides those 

 before named in which this Butterfly has been found, 

 but in none of them is it so plentiful as in those low 

 and moist districts,— 



Where the dragon-flies dart 'mid the rustling reeds, 

 And the great sleek water-rat "builds and breeds ; 

 Where the moorhen glides through the waving sedge, 

 And leads her young to the marshes' edge ; 

 Where the stagnant pool is with duckweed green, 

 And gnats rise in clouds when the air's serene ; 

 And the alder grey like a sentry stands 

 To warn men's feet from the swampy lands. 



Since the draining of the fens in Lincolnshire, and 

 other parts of the country, it is said that the beautiful 

 Swallow-tail has become less plentiful, and a fear has 

 been expressed that entomologists may in time lose 

 this most conspicuous ornament of their cabinets. 

 Well, better so than suffer such waste and barren spots 

 to remain uncultivated; such nurseries of fever and 

 pestilence to send forth their unhealthy exhalations, 

 and spread sickness and death throughout the sur- 

 rounding districts. Wholesome food and pure air for 

 man is of far more consequence than the preservation 

 of an insect, however beautiful and rare ; so let them 



