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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.
Minnie, however, remembering the directions in her uncle’s book, has opened the box, while Bertie holds his net tightly down on the ground. The butterfly cannot escape. Minnie has given her cousin a great long pin, with a sharp point.
The Donkey, who had run off to some distance, comes back when he sees the hunters stop. He says to himself that something extraordinary must have happened, and he is not wrong this time.