LETTEES FEOM ALABAMA. 
‘37 
pleases me more than the uniform scarlet coat of 
the former. Both, however, look very beautiful, as 
they play in the sun, among the quivering green 
leaves. With the day before me, I was not dis- 
posed to hurry on my journey, especially as so 
many charming things were every instant catching 
my attention, and enchaining my observation. 
Butterflies became abundant, especially the very 
beautiful little Hairstreaks ( Theda ) , species of great 
delicacy and beauty, whose hind wings end in one 
or two lengthened tags.”^ They are frisky little 
creatures, very fond of chasing each other through 
the air, and tumbling about with surprising quick- 
ness of evolution. When at rest, they often rub 
the surfaces of the hind wings upon each other, up 
and down alternately, and after a flight often return, 
like the flycatchers among birds, to the same 
spot from whence they departed ; a projecting twig, 
or the topmost leaf of a bush. They were chiefly 
of one species {Theda falacer, Boisd.), accompanied 
by several Polyommati. I did not find the Thedce 
numerous anywhere, but at that particular spot near 
King’s landing. 
Beautiful flowers, of varied colours and fragrant 
perfume, thronged the edges of the forest, and the 
road-sides : especially in the corners of the fences, 
which are almost wholly made of rails set up in the 
zig-zag fashion so general in the north, commonly 
called a Virginia fence. In the angles of these 
fences, there is always a dense and rank mass of 
vegetation; and many handsome flowers attain a 
luxuriance there which is not seen elsewhere. The 
beautiful Scarlet ^ ood^m^ {CaprifoUum sempervi- 
Tens) grew in profuse splendour among the bushes, 
* See engraving on p, 52, 
