“Come with us,” said Jerry. “Do you want to go to any particular place?”
“No, only to the nearest patch of woods where violets may be found. I haven’t any good specimens of the Argynnis, and I am anxious to secure some,” the little scientist explained as he entered the automobile.
“What does it look like?” asked Jerry. “We don’t want you to be making stabs at colored leaves, which you’ll do if we let Bob do the looking.”
“I can tell a butterfly as well as you!” retorted the stout youth.
“The Argynnis cybele,” said Professor Snodgrass, “is sometimes called the great spangled Fritillary. In color it is a sort of light brownish yellow, with brown and yellow spots, and the under sides of the wings are heavily silvered. The caterpillars hibernate as soon as hatched, and live that way all winter. In the spring they feed up, and turn into butterflies about the time the first violets appear. I hope we shall get some to-day.”
“We’ll help you look,” Ned promised.
Arriving at the patch of woods, they all got out of the automobile and began searching.
“Here are some violets,” called Jerry after a while.
“Then perhaps there may be a butterfly near them,” the professor answered, hastening over toward the tall lad. “Yes, there’s one!” he cried, his trained eyes seeing it before any of the others. “Wait now until he lights, and I’ll have him!”
The professor stood with poised net. One foot went into a puddle of water, but he did not seem to mind that. Then, with a sweep of his net he captured the beautiful specimen, and soon transferred it to his cyanide bottle.