368 Butterfly Hunting in the Desert. [Apri 
so restful that even the flutter of a moth on the window would 
not be heard. In the morning, after breakfast, we all go to see 
the dove-trap. It is an old mining tunnel that serves as a drain, 
but in times like the present the stream of water gradually dimin- 
ishes till it at length runs not out of the tunnel at all, but inside : 
in the darkness there is always water; and the wild doves have 
learned to follow up the shortening stream as day by day tt 
flows less and less further out, until they fly into the dark tut 
nel for it, as it is the only water for many miles, and are there 
. caught in nets. But as for insects, none are seen about here, ab 
though there are damp spots well suited to their use, so that here 
where we hoped to capture fine things our nets are idle and out 
boxes full of emptiness. 7 
So we ask and receive instructions as to the route for the net 
point, and receive them with the comforting assurance that if wè 
go to the right, it is forty miles to water ; if to the left, it is asfar; 
and that if we fail tó turn to the east at the proper place, near the 
two volcanic peaks, we shall go utterly astray, and the only way 
save our horse’s life would be to retrace our own track. ban l 
we go: ten miles out we see a lone Lemonias sitting in grief ot 
a dry stick; we had no wish to relieve him in his misery, but t 
him for seed; it was the only butterfly seen during the day. 
In due time the tracks to the right and to the left are a 
the two black volcanic peaks are recognized and left behind, . 
a long, weary descent of many miles made into a low-lying 
near some mountains at present quiet enough, yet which were? 
alive with volcanic fires, and here, in one of the warmest Spo 
ever saw, our camp for the night is to be. The air is 
mellow and soft, from what local cause we know not, for 
vent was after sundown, but at any rate, the people 
other cover than that so freely given by darkness. y 
pedition, it searched out a spot as far removed as p% i 
prowling visits of individuals of the genus Sus, peo 
most intolerable nuisances about a camp within bounds a 
tion; cooking a little tea with dry mesquite twigs, yore s 
the darkness, and then spreading the bedding On te p 
kicked off all covering, knowing no more trouble or g ds 
dawn brought forth a bright new day. An early por wi 
on the way across the bed of a dry lake, whose eee 
