"THE FINEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO FAIRFIELD!"
Afterthe second in the race, Felix Wagner, had come in, one of the first things the boy from Fairfield did was to hunt out Lil Artha, shake hands with him heartily, and congratulate him.
"I'd like to have beat you, all right," he said with a whimsical grimace; "but I take it no fellow had need of feeling ashamed about playing second fiddle to such a giant on a hike as you, Lil Artha. And that goes."
Elmer had watched this meeting with eagerness; and he immediately turned to Mr. Garrabrant.
"That settles one thing I've been worrying about," he declared, emphatically.
"Meaning that this Fairfield lad has had no knowledge of the miserable game that some of his misguided friends were engineering in his behalf; is that it, Elmer?" remarked the gentleman, understanding what he had in mind.
"Yes, sir," came the reply. "You see, from all accounts, in the old days this same Felix Wagner was one of the right bowers of Matt Tubbs. And somehow I seemed to be making up my mind that ifhehad a hand in this ugly deal, there was a screw loose somewhere in this reformation business over there."
"But now?" asked Mr. Garrabrant, smiling.
"It looks good to me, as Lil Artha would say," replied Elmer. "If ever a fellow seemed in earnest, Felix was when he said those words just now. And I feel positive that when he hears the story of how some of his friends tried to make Lil Artha ride, so as to knock him out of the race, Felix will be furious."
Which prediction proved to be the case a little later; but we cannot afford either the time or space to go into particulars with regard to this.
"Now we have another job before us," remarked Mr. Garrabrant, when ten o'clock had arrived.
"You mean looking up the cripples—those who are ready to admit that their hope of reaching Little Falls within the required time has died out; and who will be only too willing to get a lift back home?" Elmer suggested.
"Why, yes, some of them must be in a pretty bad way; and as it still threatens rain we must look them all up. I have three cars here that can be used for the job. Would you care to run ahead, and try to hunt them up, Elmer?"
"Yes, on one condition," came the reply.
"Oh, you can consider that it is granted before you ask; but what is its nature?" Mr. Garrabrant inquired, laughingly.
"That I ride alone," answered the boy.
"Oh, I see," the scout master went on, nodding his head wisely; "you dread having Toby and Nat along with their decrepit wheels to add to your troubles."
"Yes," said Elmer, seriously; "because I can make much better time alone, rain or not. Besides, I think the boys ought to have a rest; and it would really be better if theyput up here in Little Falls with some Boy Scout friends until to-morrow, when they can come home."
"All right; I shall so advise them; though if they choose to leave their motorcycles here until some future day, they can just as well ride back in a car."
Both Toby and Nat, however, had friends in the town, and concluded to stay over. Their machines had taken on a new life apparently, since their association with Elmer and they were much encouraged.
Accordingly, the leader of the Wolf Patrol started out. Fifty miles or so does not amount to a great deal when mounted on a good motorcycle; and if that threatened storm would only hold off a few hours, Elmer felt that he would have little cause for complaint.
As he rode along the thoroughfare he frequently sounded his horn in such a way that any stragglers would know it was meant for a signal to show themselves. It was to be Elmer's duty to warn them that the cars would soon be along, and that they could get back to Hickory Ridge in that way if they preferred.
About five miles out he heard a shout, and some one who was standing alongside the road waved his hat. It was Matty, the leader of the Beaver Patrol.
Elmer immediately jumped off his machine and put the question up to his fellow scout. But he really knew what the answer would be before the other opened his mouth.
"What, me give up, when I'm within smelling distance of my goal?" declared the determined Matty. "Not for Joseph! I'm going on and report to the headquarters of the Little Falls troop; and get back home to-morrow someway or other. But I'm glad Lil Artha got the prize. He'sa dandy on a hike, I tell you; and Hickory Ridge is proud of him, sure as you're born! So long, Elmer; get word to my folks, if you can; though I warned 'em not to look for me to-night."
Then Matty strode off bravely, though Elmer detected a slight limp which even his game qualities could not entirely conceal.
A little later on he picked up Red Huggins and Phil Dale, the latter having given up, as he was utterly worn out. They had started a fire alongside the road and were preparing to pass the remainder of the night after the fashion of true scouts. In view of the possibility of rain the boys were even then starting to make some sort of shelter from branches and such stuff as they could find.
Of course they received the good news with tremendous satisfaction; and declared that they would be only too delighted to get a chance of a lift back home.
"Hope they'll let me fasten my old wheel behind, somehow?" remarked Phil; and Elmer assured him that that had all been arranged for.
So leaving them, with an exchange of cheers, Elmer rode on.
One by one he came across Jack, Ty, George, and the Fairfield fellow, Angus McDowd, the latter still in company with young Robbins. And every one of them expressed the greatest satisfaction when they heard how Mr. Garrabrant did not mean that they shouldspendthe night away from home but would speedily be along with a number of cars calculated to carry them back to Hickory Ridge.
Even Tom Cropsey was located, he having taken refuge in the branches of a tree, because of a farmer's viciousdog that kept barking savagely not far away; and Tom happened to be particularly timid about strange dogs. His wheel being useless, and himself too cramped for walking, he had "camped" after his own fashion.
Thus all were restored to their homes that night save the other Fairfield boy who had sprained his ankle and was in bed at the tavern; Matty, who declined to be brought back until he had finished his task; and Elmer's two companions, Toby and Nat, with their unreliable motorcycles.
Of course it was well along into the morning before the last automobile reached Hickory Ridge with the balance of the contestants; and as nearly everybody had long before gone to bed, the victor was not received with any great acclaim; at least the factory whistles were not blown, nor the church bells rung. But a few of the faithful scouts, who were bound to make a night of it, had waited up at headquarters; and these fellows gave three hearty cheers when they saw the long-legged Lil Artha step stiffly from the leading car.
When, on the following night, a regular meeting of the troop was held, every fellow made sure to be in attendance; for it had been announced that the several contestants in the great hike, as well as the five who had gone forth on bicycles and motorcycles, intended giving a detailed report of what adventures had happened on the way; and it was expected that there would be some stories worth listening to.
The indignation of the boys was intense when they heard how those Fairfield four had tried to block Lil Artha's game and, by forcing him to ride, render his claim to be a contestant under the rules null and void.
"But listen, fellows," said Elmer, who presided in place of the scout master, called out of town on sudden business; "don't be too quick to blame the Boy Scouts of Fairfield for that rascally piece of business. Matt Tubbs called me up on the phone this afternoon and wanted me to express the indignation of himself and his comrades over the matter. He declared that they had not the faintest indication of the affair; and that it was engineered entirely by some 'outcasts,' who, having declined to subscribe to the twelve cardinal principles of the new movement, were doing everything in their power to wreck the troop over there."
"Well, they won't succeed, that's all," declared Lil Artha, confidently; "because my father says he knows that the best people of both Fairfield and Cramertown are just daft over the change that has taken place among the boys there ever since the scouts were organized, and that they mean to stand back of the movement through thick and thin. They say the organization of the scouts was the finest thing that ever happened to Fairfield."
"And, fellows," continued Elmer, "Ithinkthat on the strength of this, not to speak of Felix saying he would have refused to accept a tainted title if he had won after Lil Artha was kidnaped, we ought to give our fellow scouts over there a cheer. Yes, and send them a letter congratulating them on the new spirit of fairness that has sprung up among them."
It was put in the form of a motion, and carried unanimously. So three cheers and a tiger were given with a will; and later on the letter was written, which Elmer himself promised to deliver to Matt Tubbs, the loan of that fine motorcycle still holding good.
And this, then, was the way the great hike went through. Lil Artha, of course, was the pride of the troop for his fine work; but the other fellows who had done the best they knew how were not forgotten in the chronicles of the event, as written in the log book of the secretary.
The only serious accident of the affair was the sprain which Henry Cobb had been unfortunate enough to receive, and which was likely to make him limp for many weeks. But it had afforded a tremendous amount of fun, and at the same time proved that the fact of a boy belonging to the scouts need not detract in the least from his manly qualities.
Vacation was now nearly at an end, and presently the scouts would be taking up their school duties for the new year. The summer that had passed had really been the most delightful one in all their experience; and they looked forward hopefully to other good times ahead, when, as scouts, they might be given the privilege of learning many of the secrets of Nature and of building up sturdy and manly characters under the influence of the splendid rules governing the organization.
But there was one grumbler out of the number starting out for Little Falls, and this was Nat. He never could get entirely over the cruel fate that had allowed those trapped plotters to get off "so easy" and was often heard to mutter that if Elmer had not happened to be along there might have been a different story to tell. But like a lot of fellows, Nat's "bark was more savage than his bite," and perhaps, after all, had he been allowed his own sweet way, he might have remembered how he hadfaithfully promised not to harbor the spirit of revenge when he signed the roster of the Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts' troop.
THE END.
The next story of this Series (Number Six), which can be found on sale everywhere, is called "The Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts' Endurance Test; or, How Clear Grit Won the Day."
BOY SCOUT NATURE LORE
BOY SCOUT NATURE LORE TO BE FOUND IN THEHICKORY RIDGE BOY SCOUT SERIES.
Wild Animals of the United States}in Number I.TrackingThe Campfires of the Wolf Patrol.Trees and Wild Flowers of the United States in Number II.Woodcraft, or How a Patrol Leader Made Good.Reptiles of the United States in Number III.Pathfinder, or the Missing Tenderfoot.Fishes of the United States in Number IV.Fast Nine, or a Challenge from Fairfield.Insects of the United States in Number V.Great Hike, or the Pride of the Khaki Troop.Birds of the United States in Number VI.Endurance Test, or How Clear Grit Won the Day.
Insects are the most abundant of the animal kingdom. They are classified principally by the nature of their wings. Dr. Sharp, an authority on Entomology, recognizes but nine orders:
1. Aptera.2. Orthoptera.3. Neuroptera.4. Hymenoptera.5. Coleoptera.6. Lepidoptera.7. Diptera.8. Thysanoptera.9. Hemiptera.
Many useful products are obtained from insects. From them we get our silk, honey and cochineal, and they help to fertilize our flowers. On the other hand, many are detrimental to agriculture and health.
These are primitive insects without wings. The Campodea, a small insect, belongs to this order. Another example is the "Silverfish," which is found in receptacles holding sugar, starch, etc., in and about unclean bakeshops and kitchens. They are known principally in houses of the Southern States, especially in damp places.
These are the straight-winged insects. They have four wings, the front pair being usually leathery and smaller than the hind pair.
Here belong the Grasshoppers, Katydids and Crickets. Cockroaches, Walking-sticks, Leaf insects, Praying Mantis also belong to this order.
The Cockroach.
Most of the Cockroaches are nocturnal. It is said that their food is dead animal matter. The kinds of Cockroaches found in the house are the American Cockroach, Croton-bug and the Black Beetle. Apparently they eat anything, animal or vegetable, and are great pests in ill-kept houses, especially where moisture is plentiful. The name "Croton-bug" is applied to the smaller sort, it having made its appearance about the time when Croton water was first used in New York City. They show a strong distaste to light and are fond of warmth. The eggs are laid in capsules.
The Locust.
This family are insects most destructive to crops. The antennas are short, the hind legs large and strong, giving them their jumping power. The most injurious of these is the migratory locust. During the years 1874 to 1876 this insect, it is said, did more than $200,000,000 damage to crops in four States of the Union. Every country boy knows the crackling sound made by these grasshoppers in their flight. Their "song" is made by the scraping of the legs against their wings. Locusts swarm and are not particular as to the kind of vegetable matter which theyeat; anything green which they chance upon is devoured. The red-legged grasshopper is the one most common in the Eastern States in late summer.
The true or green grasshoppers have long horns, are much softer in body and "sing" more than their cousins of the locust family. The "Katydids" belong here.
Crickets.
PRAYING MANTIS.PRAYING MANTIS.
Crickets are closely related to the green grasshoppers. They have long antennae. The Mole Cricket burrows in the earth, as its name implies, digging with its powerful forelegs. The black Field Cricket lives in small burrows in fields and pastures. The Crickets are musical and togetherwith their cousins of this family swell the insect chorus of our summer nights.
A peculiar insect belonging to this family is popularly known as the Walking-stick; in motion it does not look unlike a twig moving about. Its body is long and slender. In the tropics this family has many forms which so closely resemble the leaves, and even flowers of plants and trees, as to fool not only the casual but the close observer.
Another peculiar insect is the Praying Mantis; this name has been given them because of the position which they take, the legs being held as though in prayer. They are found in the Southern States and are regarded with superstitious awe by the ignorant.
These are the net-veined winged insects; the Dragon flies, Mayflies, Caddis-flies belong in this order.
The Dobson.
The Dobson is one of the most curious insects in this order. It is generally known as the hellgrammite, although it has probably more popular names than any other insect and some are very peculiar, for instance, Conniption-bugs, Goggle-goy, Flip-flaps, Ho Jacks, Snake-doctor. It is a large insect with strong-biting mouth, living in its larval form in water.
The Snake Flies.
These are found in the Western States and prey vigorously upon other insects and render themselves especially important to the farmer of the far West because of their ravages upon the Coddling Moth, which is the special enemy of apple trees.
WALKING-STICKS.WALKING-STICKS.
The Ant Lion.
The Ant Lion digs a little pit in loose sand and buries itself therein with the exception of its head. Into this trap fall small insects on which it feeds. After the victim is sucked dry the remains are thrown out of the pit.
The Dragonflies.
These insects are also known as "Horse-stingers" and "Devil's Darning-needles," and many superstitious beliefs are held in regard to them, although they are perfectly harmless. Many ignorant people still hold them capable of sewing up bad boys' ears. The early part of their existence is spent in the water. They prey upon flies, mosquitoes and small insects. In the wings of these flies are often beautiful colors. They frequent stagnant water. The Kingbird favors them as a diet.
The Mayflies.
The Mayflies or Shadflies, like the Dragonflies, spend their infancy under water feeding upon vegetables and primitive forms of animal life. Their scientific name is Ephemerida, coined from the Greek word meaning a day. They were given this name because of their short life. Great quantities of the larvæ are eaten by fish.
Caddis Flies.
What observing country boy has not seen the queer-looking Caddis worms in the brooks and their curious larva cases. Put them in your aquarium, for they are interesting to watch and study. Their wings are more or less coveredwith hair and this gives them a moth-like appearance. They frequent the shady margins of streams. The larvæ cases are made of leaves, bits of sticks, sand, shells, etc., fastened by silk which the caddis worm spins. These cases protect them from fishes and preying insects.
DRAGON FLIES.DRAGON FLIES.
The Hymenoptera is an order of insects of high rank containing the Bees, Ants, Wasps and Gallflies. Dr. Leland O. Howard, Chief of the Division of Entomology in the United States Department of Agriculture, says that this order "comprises nearly 30,000 described species; but the enormous number of undescribed species, particularly of the smaller parasitic forms inhabiting tropical regions and other out-of-the-way localities, would probably swell this number to more than 300,000. To indicate the work still to be done in this order, it is safe to say that a day's collecting in Central Park, New York, almost under the windows of the great American Museum of Natural History, or in Logan Square, Philadelphia, within 200 yards of the Academy of Natural Sciences, would result in the capture of a number of species new to science." Most remarkable are the insects of this order for their seeming intelligence and the wonderful habits and methods in their interesting colony lives.
MODERN BEE-HIVE
Bees.
Bees are distinguished from Wasps and Ants by their hairy bodies. The common hive bee is an insect most important to mankind, and bee-keeping, properly conducted, is a profitable occupation. Here is a chance for boy scouts to win money and laurels. In early summer the bees "swarm." The bee-keeper watches for signs of this and knows that when there is an unusual restlessness among them and the workers become less attentive to their regular duties, "swarming" may be expected. Suddenly more than half the workers, with the queen of the hive, leave the old home and fly to a new place where they "swarm." A second or third swarm sometimes leave the hive, each with theirrespective queen. The first, however, is always the most important. When hived they climb to the roof and hang in a mass for often a day. The wax taken from the old hive is kneaded and the foundation of the new honeycomb started. As soon as the workers finish cells, the queen lays eggs in them. These hatch into maggot-like baby bees which have to be fed and taken care of. The worker must now forage for pollen or "beebread" and nectar from flowers. The nectar they carry in their "honey-bags" and change it into honey. The inside workers feed the youngsters, build the comb and clean house, even ventilating it by fanning the air with their wings. In the hives in the swarming are drones who do no work. They are permitted to live and feed on the stores until this season is over, then they are relentlessly killed by the workers. Bees were kept for their product by the Egyptians.
The Honey Bee was imported from Europe and is not a native of this country. The Cuckoo Bees are so called because of their habits of living in the nests of other bees. They apparently live there in friendly relations with the rightful occupants of the hives.
The Carpenter Bees; these insects are so called because of their habit of boring into the stems of plants. They line their cells with silky membrane and build mud partitions. The larger forms of these bees bore into tree trunks and lumber, and even the timber of buildings.
Mason Bees build earthen cells of sand, earth, etc., glued together. Another group of these cut pieces from leaves with which to form their cells.
SECTION OF CELLS
STRAW-HIVE
The Bumble Bees; Western farm boys have invented a method or robbing bumble bees' nests. They take a gallon or two-gallon jug partly filled with water and place it near the nest. They then beat the nest and retire to a distance.The bees swarm out of the nest in their attempt to find the guilty disturber. The jug attracts their attention; they fly to it and the beating of their wings over the mouth of the jug causes a roar which attracts the bees and causes them to fly at the mouth and drop into it. The noise of those inside increases the attraction and finally all the bees are inside. After all the bees are thus disposed of the robbing of the nest is then a safe matter.
Wasps.
The wasps' bodies are less hairy than the bees'. Some of the wasps live solitary lives and other groups colonize. The former build their nests in a burrow or attach them to trees. These nests are supplied by the mother wasp with animal food. The social wasp includes the paper-making varieties and the hornets. The habits of both are similar. The nest is never used more than one season. In India it is said that there is a variety that builds a nest reaching a length of several feet. The hornets suspend large, round nests often a foot in diameter from tree branches.
The Mason Wasps build their nests of mud under outhouses, roofs, on rocks and trees. The sting of these insects, especially that of the hornet, is severe, but they do not sting unless disturbed; then they display great anger and will follow the disturber for a long distance. Although they do considerable damage to fruit they are also helpful as destroyers of insect life.
NEST OF COMMON WASP SEEN FROM BELOW.
They capture and store in their cells a great variety of insects, spiders, flies and plant-lice. Certain members of this group of insects burrow into the earth and conceal their nests by inserting a stone over which they scrape earth. When the prey is taken the insect is carried into the burrow and the entrance to it is again closed. Dr. S. W. Williston,writing of this insect, states that the wasp has been observed to "use a stone as a tamping-iron to pack the earth into the mouth of the burrow." He feared, he says, to publish this observation because he thought he would not be believed. It is also said by observers of these wasps that each insect seems to have distinct individuality, for instance, some are careless, some are industrious, some scrupulously painstaking. One entomologist tells ofamethod used by a wasp in capturing a certain spider: the wasp would entangle itself in the spider's web and the latter would dart out from her hiding place; the wasp would then easily disengage herself from the web and follow the spiderto its hiding place. The Cicada often becomes prey of the wasp and its song suddenly ceases as it is quickly stung into insensibility. If in a struggle the two fall to the ground, the wasp drags the Cicada up a tree until she reaches a height from which she can fly downward to her storehouse. The colony wasps are the paper-making insects, their nests being made from woodpulp and woodfiber secured from old fences and unpainted woodwork which they mix with saliva and form into a pulp with which they build their nests.
CICADA.CICADA.
COLONY NEST OF BLACK ANTS
Ant Colony
Ants.
The third group in this important order are the ants. They always live in communities and build nests which are especially devoted to the purpose of raising their young.The young are fed from the mouth of the worker ants. A remarkable peculiarity of these insects is their practice of making slaves. The large red ant often makes raids on other ants, carrying off their young to their own nests where they are brought up to perform the work of their masters. They also domesticate plant-lice, which have on that account been nicknamed "Ant-Cows." Instances are related where beetles have been found in ant nests; they are fed by the ants and in case of migration are carried away by them to their new home. While some of these guests are tolerated because, perhaps, the ants cannot rid themselves of them and others are parasites, some seem to be of the nature of pets. The black ants build mountain-like nests, sometimes reaching three feet in height; in these nests sometimes forty or fifty species of ants have been found.
Gall Flies.
All the members of this family produce galls. In the spring the insect breaks the vegetable tissue by means of her sting and deposits the eggs. When hatched the young seem to exercise a peculiar influence on the growing tissue, shaping it into a swelling or gall containing a series of chambers. Certain of the galls formed on the oak trees were formerly used in the manufacture of ink and tannin.
Ichneumon Flies.
These flies attack caterpillars especially and lay their eggs in their bodies. The young, when hatched, feed upon the unfortunate victim.
The Horn-tails.
The wood-eaters or horn-tails are wood-boring insects living in the trunks of trees and stems of plants. They arecalled "horn-tails" because of the spine at the end of the body. They lay their eggs in these borings and the young, when hatched, continue to bore their way through the pith.
The Saw-flies.
The saw-flies saw their way into plant tissue and lay their eggs in the openings thus made. Many of these flies are very injurious to vegetation because of this habit. The currant-worm, rose-slug and pear-slug are all members of this family, and farmers are not on friendly terms with these insects.
This is the order of insects which includes beetles, glowworms, lady-birds, weevils, cock-chafers, etc. Their chief characteristic is the hard wing covers. The wings proper are below these. Most of this order have strong mandibles. The diet of beetles is much varied, but they are all voracious.
The little lady-birds, about whom the nursery rhyme sings, warning them to "fly away home," feed upon the scale insects.
The glow-worm derives the first part of its name from its luminosity, and the second from its worm-like appearance. To this same family belong a number of other luminous beetles, the name "firefly" being usually given.
The weevil is a general name for plant-eating beetles, and they not infrequently cause great destruction to vegetable matter. Certain weevils are interesting because of their habit of rolling up leaves in order to construct a shelter for their young. The nut-weevil lays her eggs in the young nut while it is still soft and its grub bores its way out in the fall. The cotton-boll weevil has caused great injury to the cotton crops in the Southern States.It pierces the leaves of the plant and lays its eggs. The young feed upon the plant. There are also corn weevils and rice weevils, and still others that attack peas and beans.
The cock-chafers belong to a large group of dark-colored beetles known as June bugs. They frequently enter light rooms at night, making a loud buzzing noise. The insect comes out of the ground in the spring and is very destructive to the foliage of fruit and other trees. Its grubs live under ground and feed on roots. The chief enemies of the grub are moles and birds; of the beetles, bats and birds.
The order of Lepidoptera includes the butterflies and moths. Their wings and body are covered with scales, frequently bright-colored. There are several stages in the life history of these insects just as there are in the life history of other insects, but these stages are so pronounced and the changes so remarkable in this order that it is well here for us to consider the different steps which nature takes in transforming the repulsive caterpillar into the beautiful butterfly or moth. The first stage is the egg, from which is hatched the caterpillar. The caterpillar, after living its life, spins its cocoon, is transformed into the chrysalis. The chrysalis in turn eventually becomes the butterfly.
The milkweed butterflies are large-sized butterflies; the upper surface of the wings is bright and reddish bordered with black, and the whole wing is veined heavily with black. The wings are spotted with white; the caterpillar is bright yellow with black bands. This insect often appears in large numbers in New Jersey late in the autumn. This particular one of the milkweed butterflies is called "The Monarch"; a smaller one of this genus is called "The Queen."
BUTTERFLIES.BUTTERFLIES.
The California long-winged butterfly. The fore wings are brownish-black blotched with yellow; the hind wings are a dingy orange.
The Dircenna. The fore wings of this butterfly are grayish-brown with transparent spots; the hind wings are more yellowish in color.
The Cliff Fritillary. The upper side of this butterfly is bright tawny-brown spotted with black; the hind wings have a black border spotted with the same color as the wings. The under side of the fore wings is orange. The caterpillar feeds upon the passion flower of the Southern states. It is found from southern Virginia westward to Arizona and California.
The Regal Fritillary. The upper side of the fore wings is a bright brown, spotted and blotched with cream color and black; the upper side of the hind wings is black with cream-colored spots. The caterpillar is large, nearly two inches long; black with stripes and bands of reddish-orange. There are six rows of spines. The caterpillar feeds on violets and does not appear in the daytime. This is a beautiful butterfly and is found from Maine to Nebraska, frequenting the borders of woodlands.
The Diana. Both wings are a dark brown with wide border of dark orange spotted with brown spots. It is found in the Virginias, Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky.
The Silver-bordered Fritillary. This is a small butterfly ranging over most of the northern part of the United States. The fore wings on the under side are spotted at the margin with silver spots.
The Baltimore. Upper side black bordered with a row of red spots followed by three rows of yellow spots on the fore wings and two rows on the hind wings. It is found incolonies in swamps, in the northern parts of the United States and Canada.
The Question Sign. This butterfly is easily determined by its large size; the wings are peculiarly shaped; it is bright brown on the upper side, spotted but edged with darker brown and pale blue. This is a common butterfly of the Middle States and is often found in the early spring.
The Red Admiral. This is a common butterfly found throughout North America. It derives its name from the red on its fore wings and the red border on its hind wings.
The Thistle Butterfly. Wherever thistles grow may be found "The Painted Lady," and Dr. V. J. Holland in his Butterfly Books says, "This is undoubtedly the most widely distributed of well-known butterflies. It is found in almost all regions of the earth and in many tropical lands in both hemispheres." The food plants of the caterpillar are thistles.
The Buckeye. On both the upper and lower sides of the fore and hind wings are eye-like spots. It is a common butterfly in the South, but is occasionally found as far North as New England. These butterflies will fight other passing butterflies.
The Painted Purple Butterfly is easily distinguished because of its broad white bands across both wings.
The Blue Butterflies, the Copper Butterflies and the Hair-streaked Butterflies are small insects, many of which are characterized by the bright blue of the upper side of the wings; in other forms the copper color prevails. Hair-streaked Butterflies often have small tails on their horned wings.
The Sulphur Butterflies and Whites are medium-sized or small butterflies, white or yellow in color, having dark edgings. The common white butterfly is easily classified by its pure-white color of the under-side white wings.
The Cabbage Butterfly is a common insect familiar to all. Much good sauerkraut material is spoiled by its ravages.
Orange Tipped Butterflies. This is a large species of pretty butterflies.
The Swallow-tail Butterflies are generally large butterflies with the hind wings tailed.
The Ajax is one of the most beautiful of the butterflies. Its wings are streaked with brown and white, with red and blue spots near the tail on the hind wings.
The Tiger Swallow Tail seems to be fond of the woodlands of Pennsylvania, Virginia, Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee. The common Eastern swallow-tail is bright yellow and black, and found all over the Atlantic States.
The Wood Nymphs are butterflies of moderate size with eye-like spots on their wings, the wings being tawny brown or gray.
We have endeavored to give our boy readers a brief description of some of the most beautiful and some of the most common butterflies of the United States. There are thousands more.
Moths.
The moths are popularly distinguished from butterflies by the belief that they fly at night; there are, however, numerous exceptions to this distinction. The antennae of butterflies are blunt; in moths they vary in form, being rarely shaped like those of the butterfly. Moths are more numerous than butterflies, and vary as to size and color. Some moths have been known to reach a size of six or seven inches in width and attain the most brilliant coloring of all insects.
MOTHS.MOTHS.
Hawk Moth. This is a large, dull-colored, powerful moth. The caterpillars are smooth and striped, horned at the rear end. The Death's Head Moth belongs to the same family,as do also the Oleander Hawk Moth and the Humming-bird Hawk Moth. The last mentioned is often mistaken for a humming bird. Caterpillars of this family are destructive to potato, tomato and tobacco plants. The moths of this family are known as the Sphinx Moths. The markings on the body of the Death's Head Moth resemble a skull and crossbone—hence its name. The body is covered with hair. The fore wings are brown, the hind wings yellow, banded with black. It makes a squeaking noise and is often found in beehives where it is attracted by the honey.
The Egger Moths get their name from the peculiar egg-shell-like surface of their cocoons.
The Lima Moths are among the largest and most beautiful of our moths. The hind wings have a tail-like appendage. It is pale green in color with a purple band along the front of the fore wings.
This order includes all the true flies or insects having but two wings. There is probably no other order of insects that are more injurious to the health of human beings. The housefly, because of its habits, is a virulent pest in the spreading of disease and it has been discovered that certain mosquitoes carry the germs of malarial and yellow fevers.
Mosquitoes.
Up to the year 1900 little had been known about these insects. Since then it has been discovered that one genus is responsible for the transfer of malarial fever and another variety is the sole means of the spreading of yellow fever. Mosquitoes are found in any locality where stagnant standing water allows them the opportunity to breed. Theireggs are laid in a flat mass on the surface of the water, and each of these masses contains from 200 to 400 eggs. The young mosquitoes issue from the under side of the eggs, coming to the surface frequently to breathe, which they do by means of a long tube at the end of the body which is thrust up above the surface of the water. In many localities boy scouts have been interested in exterminating mosquitoes, the most successful methods being either the abolition of their breeding places, the flooding of surfaces of stagnant water with kerosene, or the introduction of fish into fishless ponds. In a mosquito crusade every receptacle for standing water must be found and either destroyed or treated with kerosene.