by Brown. A sportsman also might have worn them, of course.

"The Apollo butterfly," droned on Professor Dresslin, "iss a butterfly of
the larger magnitude among European Lepidoptera, yet not of the largest.
The Parnassians, allied to the Papilionidae, all live only in high
altitudes, and are, by the thinly scaled and always-to-be-remembered red
and plack ge-spotted wings, to be readily recognized. I haf already two
specimens captured this morning. I haff the honour, sir, to exhibit them
for your inspection----"

He fished out a flat green box from his pocket, opened it under Brown's
nose, leaning close enough to touch Brown with an exploring and furtive
elbow--and felt the contour of the automatic.

Amid a smell of carbolic and camphor cones Brown beheld, pinned side by
side upon the cork-lined interior of the box, two curiously pretty
butterflies.

Their drooping and still pliable wings seemed as thin as white tissue
paper; their bodies were covered with furry hairs. Brick-red and black
spots decorated the frail membrane of the wings in a curiously pleasing
harmony of pattern and of colour.

"Very unusual," he said, with a vague idea he was saying the wrong thing.

Monotonously, paying no attention, Professor von Dresslin continued: "I,
the life history of the Parnassus Apollo, haff from my early youth
investigated with minuteness, diligence, and patience."--His protuberant
eyes were now fixed on Brown's rifle again.--"For many years I haff bred
this Apollo butterfly from the egg, from the caterpillar, from the
chrysalis. I have the negroid forms, the albino forms, the dwarf forms,
the hybrid forms investigated under effery climatic condition. Notes
sufficient for three volumes of quarto already exist as a residuum of my
investigations----"

He looked up suddenly into the American's face--which was the first sudden
movement the Herr Professor had made----

"Ach wass! Three volumes! It is nothing. Here iss material for thirty!--A
lifetime iss too short to know all the secrets of a single species.... If
I may inquire, sir, of what pattern is your most interesting and admirable
rifle?"

"A--Ross," said Brown, startled into a second's hesitation.

"So? And, if I may inquire, of what nationality iss it, a R-r-ross?"

"It's a Canadian weapon. We Americans use it a great deal for big game."

"So?... And it iss also by the Canadian military employed perhaps, sir?"

"I believe," said Brown, carelessly, "that the