IN FEATHERS AND FUR. 
229 
You see he is engaged in binding himself on 
to the twig, which he does in such a nice way 
that all through his chrysalis life he is safe from 
falling. 
I spoke of Butterflies feeding on honey, but 
there are some of them which live on quite a 
different diet. There is the Purple Emperor 
Butterfly, a most beautiful creature, of a rich 
purple — almost black — ornamented with white. 
This elegant insect prefers the juices of bad meat 
to all the flowers of the garden. If he can find a 
dead dog or cat lying about, he has a great feast. 
It isn't very pleasant to think of, is it ? But 
something must be done with such objects, and 
this beautiful Butterfly does his share. 
Naturalists take advantage of this strange 
taste to catch the beautiful creature. 
They look for an open place in the woods, 
I and set a trap for Mr. Butterfly, consisting of a 
piece of unpleasant-smelling meat ; or rather they 
set several traps, laying down a dozen or more 
pieces — some ways apart, of course. In a short 
time the hunter comes back ; and if the weather is favorable, and 
there are any Purple Emperors about, he will be apt to find one or 
two on every piece. 
I told you about some superstitions regarding Moths, and now 
I must tell you of the terror caused by an innocent little Butterfly 
of the Vanessa family. When it leaves the pupa — or chrysalis 
skin — a red-colored liquid, looking exactly like blood, drops from it. 
The ignorant people, seeing these drops, have been very much ter- 
rified, and accounts of several such " showers of blood" have been 
related by historians. But on one occasion, when the people of a 
certain town in France were nearly frightened out of their wits by 
such a sign, a learned man, seeking into its cause, discovered the 
facts about this Butterfly. He noticed that multitudes of them 
were flying about, so he collected some of the chrysalides and let 
them hatch in a box, and finding the same drops of blood, he made 
it public. But, of course, though entirely explained, the ignorant 
people could not be cured of their terror. 
