A Butterfly Chase

Yes, little Minnie and her cousin Bertie have quite made up their minds to have a splendid collection of butterflies. They have been reading all about it in a book which their uncle, who is a professor at the Museum, has sent them. In this beautiful book they have learnt all about it—how to chase the butterflies, and how to catch them, and how to arrange them in glass cases when they are caught. Everything they want is ready for them. Their uncle has sent with the book two butterfly-nets; a pretty case filled with crooked scissors, tweezers, pincers, and all sorts of sharp steel instruments; a pretty box, at the bottom of which are little round pieces of cork, glued in rows, with long large-headed pins to run through the butterflies; and another little box, with a lot of small squares of glass, which are to be put over their wings to keep them open, and prevent them from fluttering and beating about.

In the beautiful book there are pretty coloured pictures of the fine butterflies that they may meet with in their chases, with the names of each kind printed underneath, so that they will know them all when they catch them.

How very interesting butterflies are!

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II.

Minnie’s mamma, who is almost like a mamma to Bertie too, though she is only his aunt, would be very glad to see her little ones fond of natural history, but still she does not seem quite pleased with their uncle’s idea in sending them, not only the pretty book, but the nets and the sharp, dreadful-looking steel things which they are to use in making their collection. She shook her head rather sadly when she saw the pretty nets which were to stop the butterflies from flying about so happily, and the pins and tweezers which were to turn them into lifeless specimens in a glass box.

But she did not wish to vex their kind uncle, who was a very learned man, and was always thinking of collections and museums, and science and experiments; and she did not like to tell him that she would rather her little ones should learn about butterflies from the book with its beautiful pictures, and from watching them flying about, and settling on the flowers in the fields; and that she did not think it could be a nice play for children to catch and kill the pretty harmless creatures.

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III.

It is a beautiful day. Minnie and Bertie are all ready to start, with their light gauze nets in their hands. Bertie’s is green, and Minnie’s is blue. Bertie has slung the butterfly-box, with the corks and great pins, over his shoulder. He looks quite like a sportsman.

They are going to the daisy field for their first chase; it is a beautiful meadow, full of flowers, which the butterflies are very fond of.

They say good-bye to mamma. She goes with them to the bottom of the steps. The daisy field is not far off. From the drawing-room window dear mamma will be able to see the chase. They have promised not to make themselves too hot.

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IV.

Now they are off, armed with their nets. They are sure to have a splendid chase. Bertie intends to catch a dozen peacock butterflies, and Minnie a dozen emperors. That will make twenty-four butterflies. Peacocks and emperors are the finest of all—the only butterflies they mean to catch. As soon as they reach the field the two hunters hold a consultation and arrange the plan of proceeding. Bertie will take the right side of the field, and Minnie the left. They must not come in each other’s way, only if one should want help, then the other is to fly to the rescue.

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V.

They walk gently along, each on the proper side, just as they agreed; for, in the first place, the grass is very high, and that makes it difficult to run fast; and then, of course, they must not frighten the butterflies. They must go very cautiously, so as to take them by surprise.

There is a donkey in the field. He looks very much astonished at something. I think he is asking himself if the butterfly-hunters are not come to hunt him. What an absurd donkey! to think of any one hunting donkeys with a butterfly-net!

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VI.

Everything is blooming in the meadow, the air is full of soft murmurs, and the insects make a musical hum.

At the hunters’ approach the grasshoppers hop, the bees fly off, and thousands of pale-blue or white butterflies seem to come out of the flowers. But they are too small, and there are so many of them that they do not know which to catch. Peacocks are what they want, or emperors.

Minnie finds that there are holes in the ground, hidden under the grass, which make her trip, and there are disagreeable plants growing among the daisies, which sting her legs, and even some that tear little slits in her frock—but when one goes a-hunting one must not be particular; another time she will ask for a pair of gaiters, like Bertie’s, and a very thick frock. Mr. Donkey is very inquisitive.

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VII.

Hush!—Bertie stops all on a sudden, and makes signs to Minnie not to stir. He must have spied a peacock. How cleverly and quietly he steals up—nearer, nearer, without the slightest noise; he scarcely seems to breathe. Minnie would like to run across to see the beautiful peacock. Bertie holds up his net, all ready to catch the butterfly; the wind puffs the green gauze a little, and Minnie’s heart beats with impatience.

The Donkey cannot conceive what the children are doing. They seem to pay no attention to him.

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VIII.

All on a sudden Bertie brings down the net, and then throws himself on his hands and knees, to make sure of his success. He must have caught the butterfly....

No! there is no butterfly—nothing at all in the net but a bit of clover. Bertie seems rather unhappy about it; but I know who is happy enough—the beautiful butterfly that has had such a fortunate escape. How he soars away! However, Bertie calls out to his cousin that it was not a real peacock after all, which is some comfort.

The Donkey, seeing Bertie on all-fours, wonders whether he is mocking him, and making fun of him.

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IX.

Butterflies are very silly. I think the peacock cannot have noticed Minnie, for he flies very imprudently close to her. Minnie will manage much better than Bertie; yes, indeed, she is not going to let such a beautiful butterfly get away, for he is very beautiful though he may not be a peacock.

Pat! she has got him, and very tight too, so that he cannot possibly get away under the rim.

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X.

‘Have you got him?’ cries Bertie.