174 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



Photograph by George Shiras, 3d 



A DOZEN FROGS CATCH NEARLY ONE THOUSAND BUTTERFLIES 



Early in August, 1919, the half dozen little Leopard frogs living in the camp water garden 

 near Whitefish Lake were seen catching, every few minutes, butterflies known as "the little 

 white-banded blues," as each alighted on a row of forget-me-nots bordering the water. Fre- 

 quent observation during a week indicated the killing of fully 500 butterflies. On the bank of 

 the stream was a bed of sweet-william, where another set of the little green frogs lay in wait, 

 these catching a brown species (shown above) almost as frequently. It is worthy of note 

 that two distinct species of butterflies fed exclusively on two different species of domestic 

 flowers. The brown butterflies,, however, fed by the hundreds on joe-pye weed along the 

 stream, but beyond reach of the frogs. The photograph was made from above, causing the 

 butterfly (Argynnis aphrodite) to appear disproportionately large. 



glowing eyes attracted attention, and in 

 a moment the three lamps were ablaze 

 and the jack-light covered. On approach- 

 ing, the deer jumped to one side, requir- 

 ing the canoe to change its course, for I 

 had not then in use a revolving table 

 capable of covering any quick movement 

 of an animal. 



In turning to whisper instructions to 

 Jake, my elbow unfortunately caught on 

 the rubber tubing, toppling the entire ap- 

 paratus into the bow, where the cap of 

 the reservoir became detached, permitting 

 the escape of all the powder, part of 

 which clung to the wet surface of the 

 rubber boots, the remainder going into 

 the bow, where a portion was set on fire 

 by the overturned lamps. 



There was a tremendous explosion of 

 the drier powder, and the damper portion 



gave forth a brilliant spluttering, com- 

 pelling me, in a cloud of stifling smoke, 

 to leap overboard in order to extinguish 

 the blaze on the boots and later in the 

 boat. 



Having been turned toward the paddler 

 when the mishap occurred and because 

 much of the powder was wet, my eyes 

 were protected, affording an early warn- 

 ing in the handling of such an explosive. 



JAKE GETS A DUCKING 



When Jake learned that no particular 

 harm had been done beyond the punctur- 

 ing of a chimerical scheme, he gave vent 

 to unrestrained mirth. Standing waist 

 deep in the slowly moving current, my 

 hands smarting from the touch of the 

 flames, and the little camera floating 

 about in the murky waters, any humor 



