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Two young cousins, equipped by an uncle with a book, nets, and specimen tools, attempt to make a grand butterfly collection while their aunt prefers watching insects alive. The narrative follows their clumsy, patient chases through a daisy meadow, misadventures with torn nets, escapes and occasional captures, and the curious presence of a donkey. Interspersed with practical instructions and descriptive illustrations, the account balances hands-on details about catching and mounting butterflies with gentle reflections on childhood curiosity, the ethics of collecting, and learning to observe nature.
The Donkey, seeing them come quite close to him, is taken by surprise. He is quite sure now that they are running after him. He must be a most conceited ass to suppose that two such hunters as Minnie and Bertie have nothing better to do than to hunt donkeys. He thinks so much of himself, this Donkey, that he is perfectly silly. So Bertie thinks. As for Minnie, she does not trouble herself about him at all. She can think of nothing but her butterfly.