272 
LETTEES FEOM ALABAM'A. 
decided on. The planter took his rifle, and entered 
the field; the cow turned and stood at bay beneath 
a tree, tossing her head and lowering defiance. 
The deadly bullet sped, and entered the very 
centre of the forehead, just beneath the bony ridge 
that supports the horns. For a few seconds she 
stood motionless ; not a muscle stirred ; the head 
still presented the lowering threatening attitude in 
which it had received the shot ; at length the huge 
body leaned against the tree, and sank heavily 
upon the earth. 
But I turn from the exploits of these mighty 
hunters to detail my own successes in the pursuit 
of minuter game. The insect season has been 
waning for some time. Since August, butterflies 
have been comparatively few, both as to the num- 
ber of species and of individuals. Yet their abun- 
dance up to that time may be inferred from the 
fact, that on the morning of the 25th of August 
I counted twenty different species abroad. The 
following thirteen I saw during about half an hour 
that I spent in the garden, soon after sun-rise : — 
Papilio Philenor. 
5, Calchas. 
Argynnis columbina. 
„ vanillse. 
Colias Nicippe. 
„ Eubule. 
Pampbila 
Grapta interrogationis. 
Cynthia Huntera. 
Hipparchia Sosybius. 
Eudamus Tityrus. 
Hesperia Orcus ? 
Pampbila Otbo ? 
In the course of a ride in the forenoon the seven 
following were observed, in addition to those 
already enumerated : — 
Papilio Troilus. Limenitis Ursula. 
Melitsea Tbaros. Hipparchia Andromacba. 
Colias Deba. Theda Comyntas. 
Eudamus Pathylius. 
