joyment.

She was so tame that it became my habit, once or twice a day, to take
her on my finger; and while I walked in the garden she would take short
flights hither and thither, but was always content to mount upon my hand
again. She would come on my finger of her own accord, and, if the day
was bright, would remain there as long as I had patience to carry her,
with her wings outspread, basking in the sunbeams, which appeared to
convey exquisite delight to the delicate little creature.

I never touched her beautiful wings. She never fluttered or showed any
wish to escape, but lived three weeks of tranquil life in her tiny
home; and then having, as I suppose, reached the limit of butterfly
existence, she quietly ceased to live.

On the day of her death the other butterfly emerged, and lived for the
same length of time. Both were equally tame, but the second showed more
intelligence, for she discovered that by folding her wings together she
could easily walk between the slender bars of the cage; and having done
so she would fly to a window, and remain there basking in the sun,
folding and unfolding her wings with evident enjoyment, until I
presented my finger, when she would immediately step upon it and be
carried back to her cage.

The tameness of these butterflies I ascribed in great measure to the
fact of their having been hatched from chrysalides, and having therefore
never known the sweets of liberty. I often wondered if really wild
specimens could be won by gentle kindness and made happy in confinement,
and one bright summer's day I resolved to try. A "Painted Lady" had been
seen in the garden the day before, and I soon caught sight of her making
rapid flights from one bed of flowers to another, and when resting for
a few minutes, folding and unfolding her wings on the gravel path, I
crept slowly up to her with a drop of honey on my finger to try and make
friends; but my "lady" was coy, "she would and she wouldn't," and after
letting me come within a few inches with my tempting repast, she floated
away, out of sight, and I feared she would not be willing to give me
another chance; however, I waited quietly, and in a few minutes she
alighted at a little distance. I again drew near very slowly, and again
she sailed away, but the third time she gained confidence enough to
reach out her proboscis and taste the honey, and finally crept upon my
finger. I very gently placed the light bamboo cage over her and brought