Our morning walk across the front paddock was interrupted when Liquorice saw an orange and black “Wanderer” butterfly fluttering about the freshly mown grass doing whatever orange and black butterflies do to amuse themselves of a cool morning. It was only a few yards in front of Baby Liquorice. She watched its antics with interest for some minutes. Then Liquorice went into her stealthy hunting-dog mode. First she lowered her head and took a single step forward only to have the Butterfly flit skywards landing a couple of yards away. Liquorice then raised her head, stiffened her now not so tiny body, and gazed intently at her quarry. Liquorice moved off again looking, proud and magnificent, pausing slightly before each step until she was only a yard or so away and content in the knowledge that the advance of a large black Newfoundland puppy had been totally concealed by the short grass. Then she pounced! But the butterfly nonchalantly flitted a couple of yards further away. Again my little darling skillfully tracked and pounced once again still satisfied that her camouflage was perfect. Same result. Persistence is a quality Liquorice has in abundance so she continued the hunt for nearly ten minutes. Each time that butterfly would gently flutter away just out of her reach until it tired of being interrupted during its morning chores and fluttered toward a “hedge” of assorted shrubs we had used for cutting material when we had our nursery. Liquorice followed, leaping up each time the butterfly’s erratic flight-path lowered it into range. The butterfly calmly flew over the top of the “hedge” to an undisturbed freedom. Liquorice tried to crash through with an embarrassing lack of success!
We continued our walk. Later I picked, and Liquorice feasted on, some Raspberries and a few out of season Mulberries our tree had presented to us. However I do believe Liquorice would have preferred fresh butterfly with them!
Arthur Witten
Liquorice – Aw gee Dad, didn’t see you catch any butterflies!