The Swan and Her Crew
Page 6
CHAPTER IV.
Digging for Pupae.--Dick Carleton.--Metamorphoses of Butterfly.
About two miles further inland from Mr. Merivale's and in the midst of afine and well-wooded country, was Sir Richard Carleton's house. Aroundit was a park with larger timber trees than were to be found in the restof the countryside. Mary and Florence Merivale had fixed on this spot asthe scene of their labours in the cause of science, as represented bythe collections of their brother and Jimmy Brett. Leaving the path,they trespassed boldly in search of suitable trees for their purpose.Frank had told them that the vicinity of houses was the best, becausemoths, in all probability attracted by the lights, laid their eggs ontrees and shrubs near houses. So the two girls went up as near the largehouse as they thought they might venture without being seen, andcommenced their search.
A tall youth strolling languidly down a path through the woods saw twokneeling figures in red cloaks at the foot of a large willow-tree, andtheir movements aroused his curiosity, and while he stands looking atthem let us say what manner of boy Dick Carleton is. He is very tall andthin, but he has a figure that only wants filling out to be handsome. Hehas a very beautiful face and head, and curly brown hair. His large darkeyes and pale complexion make him look more delicate than he really is,but he is afflicted with a listless melancholy that shows itself inevery movement. It was this melancholy which had aroused his father'sfears, and it was plain that if it were not checked in time graveresults might follow. He stood for some time looking at the two girls,wishing to ask what they were doing, but too shy to do so. At last Marycaught sight of him, and rising, she said--
"I hope we are not trespassing?"
"You are trespassing, but it does not matter," replied Dick, taking offhis hat. "But may I ask what you are doing?"
"We are digging for pupae," answered Mary.
"And what are pupae?"
"Don't you know?" asked Mary in surprise.
"No."
"Why they come into moths. The moth lays its egg, the eggs turn intocaterpillars, which feed on leaves and trees, and then turn into thesethings," and she then showed him five or six large red cylindricalobjects which she had in her basket. "When the spring comes these willturn into moths."
"How wonderful," said Dick. "I did not know that before; but if thecaterpillars feed on leaves, how is it that you dig those from theground?"
"The caterpillars of some moths go into the earth before they changeinto the pupae state. I do not know why: I suppose they think it safer."
"Where did you learn all this?" said Dick, his eyes lighting up with anew life and interest at this first glimpse of what was to him a new andstrange world.
"From my brother Frank and Jimmy Brett. They are making collections, andwe are helping them as much as we can. My brother is Frank Merivale, andI am Mary Merivale."
"And my name is Carleton; but please tell me more about these things.Will they turn into white butterflies?"
"They won't turn into butterflies at all, but into moths, great uglythings with thick bodies; only Frank and Jimmy like them."
METAMORPHOSES OF BUTTERFLY.]
"I should like to find some if you will show me how to dig for them. Isuppose if I keep them they will turn into moths some time."
THE PARK IN SUMMER.]
"Yes; put them into a flower-pot full of mould and keep it rather damp,and put something over so that the moths sha'n't fly away, and in thespring they will come out; but it is prettiest to see butterflies comeout. They split open the chrysalis at the back of its neck and creepout, but their wings are all shrivelled up to nothing, and they climb upthe side of the box, and then their wings spread out, and get so largeand beautiful! I could find you plenty of the chrysalides of thewhite butterflies by your greenhouses, but if you want moths, take thistrowel and dig around the other side of this tree about three inchesfrom it and three inches deep. They do not breed on all trees; we havetried five to-day and found nothing, but at this one we have gottwelve."
More amused and interested than he had ever been before, Dick knelt downand began to dig. Very soon he found a large chrysalis, and, encouragedby this success, he dug more vigorously, and very soon he had foundfive, while the girls had increased their spoils to sixteen.
"Now, Miss Merivale, will you come to the greenhouses and show me how toget some butterfly chrysalides? I shall be very glad if you will, and Ishould like to introduce you to my father, and I will ask him to askyour brother here, then he could tell me more about these things."
WHITE HAWTHORN BUTTERFLY.]
Mary hesitated, but Florrie said, "Oh, do go, Mary;" so she consented,and they walked up through the gardens, and Mary showed Dick where tolook for the chrysalides of the common white butterfly, which are to befound through the winter attached by a silken thread to the shelteredsides of walls, and under the coping of greenhouses and buildings nearthe gardens where the caterpillars have fed on the lettuces andcabbages.
Sir Richard Carleton was in one of the conservatories, and seeing him,Dick cried out--
"Father, these red things will turn into moths, and these greenish-whiteones into butterflies."
"Yes, Dick, I know they will."
"But you never told me so before, father."
"Well, my boy, I never thought it would interest you, but I am very gladit does interest you. This is Mary Merivale, I think. How do you do, mydears? Come into the library all of you, and I will show you some bookson butterflies."
They went into the house and had some tea and cake, and turned over thepages of a book on entomology with coloured plates, which had lain dustyand forgotten on the shelves until now, and Mary and her sister pointedout to Dick moths and butterflies which their brother and Jimmy had intheir collection.
Sir Richard saw with delight that the right chord had been touched inhis son's mind, and he no longer doubted the success of the experimenthe had urged Mr. Merivale to try.
The time slipped rapidly away, and when it was high time to go, Mary andFlorrie were driven home by Sir Richard's groom, charmed with theirvisit, and full of praises of Sir Richard and his son.
Dick Carleton was eager to know more of entomology, and set to work atonce to read about it with an energy he had never displayed for anythingbefore, and the father wrote off to his booksellers to order a newer andmore reliable book upon the science than the one he possessed, to begiven to Dick.