University of Texas Austin - Cactus Yearbook (Austin, TX)

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ton as res Cdondo IK dtpoving acsifc bountiful IpMrfAEffiLlnthe ... ...... ft fen -.-:: kconpMd Abo, but- ( ilW ini]tlx A descendant of a butterfly transported from Costa Rica, this Htliconiui chlysonynius light on a passion vine flower; both are research subjects living in Patterson Laboratories. Butterfly Research 9

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They caught, catalogued, stamped, dried and pinned. Researchers delved into the not-so-mysterious world of the lovely, durable winged creatures known as opping Patterson Laboratories in seven greenhouses, en- tomologist Dr. Lawrence E. Gilbert grew passion vines to feed his laboratory-hatched Heliconius butterflies. Raised from eggs in containers resembling miniature plastic ket- chup cups, the colorful winged subjects of Gilbert ' s research were then transferred to greenhouses imitating the tropic surroun- dings of Gilbert ' s study site in the 70,000- acre rain forest in Costa Rica. One of several different butterflies which roomed in a greenhouse, the Zebra Heliconius fluttered about with bright yellow and black striped wings. Its bottom fluores- cent yellow stripe was actually a series of dots following one another in line. Other species had shiny, vibrant colors ranging in the spectrum from reds, oranges and whites to violet, blues and greens. The winged insect was distasteful and poisonous to its predators because of its diet during the larval stage Gilbert said. The newly hatched larvae dined on a species of the passion vine. This plant, waging a war in nature, contained a poison which evolved a more toxic poison to keep the butterflies from feasting on it. The butterflies turned this attack into a victory by storing the toxin in their bodies which caused them to taste bad to predators. The passion vine ' s second plan of attack in its war for survival was the evolution of more than 500 species of pas- sion vine with more than 200 leaf shapes, yet the Heliconious platoons were still able to recognize their host plants. Butterflies by SANDRA E. WILLEKE The vines have more recently developed a new defense. Resembling a scene from a horror film, minute hooks invisible to the naked eye snared and hopelessly trapped lar- vae as they crawled out of their egg shells. Yellow spots of color that resemble but- terfly eggs at the base of some passion vine leaves kept female butterflies from laying on that leaf because butterflies are cannibalistic; the first-hatched larva would destroy remain- ing eggs on its leaf. When a mother butterfly saw these yellow spots, thinking they were previously laid eggs, she continued her search for an empty leaf. Down four stories and across campus, deep inside the Education Annex, Dr. Christopher Durden updated his collections, some of which dated back to the 1880 ' s, of pinned butterflies and insects. His domain encompassed two rooms literally lined and filled with jars of 415,000 insects and 22,000 spiders floating in alcohol a veritable library of bugs. A third room contained catalogued butterflies and moths, natives from as many states and countries as Univer- sity of Texas students. Part of the thousands of insects collected were gifts to the University and more have been caught, dried and pinned by graduate students or others working on projects, theses and dissertations said Durden. For the research to be valid, it had to be properly documented, which included having voucher specimens in a collection and notes in an archive. Durden, a specialist in fossilized insects, did not confine himself to the 48,000-year- old fossilized butterfly from Colorado he was studying. He also added to the growing collections after field trips in the bountiful butterfly hunting grounds of Austin. In the summer of 1981, he discovered three new species in Sierra Madre, Mexico. UT ' s researchers studied butterflies because they were highly visible compared to the non-flying counterparts. Also, but- terflies were almost as well known, in terms of recorded species, as birds so the men were able to concentrate on the flying insects ' behavior instead of identifying them. The idea behind this study in Gilbert ' s area of research, was to understand why the Heliconius butterfly population did not fluc- tuate drastically in good or bad conditions. Dr. Gilbert believed that by understanding these facts, humans could subtly control in- sect populations which harm economically important crops like cotton. Durden studied how modern fossilized in- sects were related and how they evolved. He and his colleagues also identified insects for hospitals, determining what insects had bit- ten victims and they also identified insects for students ' projects. After catching butterflies around the world, both respected scientists returned to the University of Texas campus to continue their respective studies. At opposite ends of campus in similar crowded offices, both men studied the where, why and how of the lovely, durable winged creatures known as butterflies. S Butterfly Research

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Until 1957, the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps had ' headquarters ' there, with its anti-aircraft guns on the front lawn and a firing range in the attic. AKING A STAND majestically and serenely near the northwest corner of the campus, the Littlefield Home was a unique relic from the University ' s past. While not as large, modern, or imposing as the rusty Communications Complex that loomed darkly from behind, it still presented a dignified, commanding presence that almost whispered aloud the history of the University it patiently watched grow from infancy. Ornately and almost pretentiously Vic- torian, the house provided a taste of the elegance and luxury of an irretrievable, earlier period, and also showed a glimpse of the man who built it, and much of UT. George Washington Littlefield, a former Texas Ranger, fought for the Confederacy in the War Between the States. In Tennessee, he was wounded in the leg by shrapnel and was promoted to the rank of major for gallantry on the battlefield. He returned to Texas in 1863, married Alice Payne Tillar, and proceeded to amass a huge fortune in the cattle business. The Littlefields moved to Austin in 1883 the year the University opened and became a prominent banker. Although not a highly educated man, Lit- tlefield became a member of the Board of Regents in 1911 and served until shortly before his death in 1920. During his ad- ministrative relationship with the young and still relatively poor institution, he served as a sort of financial guardian and generous The House That George Built by DOUGLAS JOHNSON benefactor. His bank covered overdrafts for the University without interest and when Gov. James Ferguson vetoed the Texas Legislature ' s 1917-1919 operating appropria- tions for UT, Littlefield pledged his personal fortune to keep the school afloat. Littlefield donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to UT for various construction, scholarly and memorial projects. One con- tribution included a $250,000 donation to honor men and women of the Confederacy. This donation formed the Littlefield Foun- dation and is responsible for the statues of notable Southerners on the South Mall. Construction of the house began in 1893 and was completed in the spring of 1894, at a cost of $50,000. Constructed of red-brown brick and dark red sandsto ne, the house combined the grand Victorian style with a French flair. Elegant turrets reached toward the sky, polished blue granite columns fram- ed the front entrances on both the first and second floors and a veranda encircled both floors, with lacy, iron grillwork on the por- ches, railings, fanlights and doors. Fifteen kinds of woods were used throughout the 17-room house, and there were five marble coal-burning fireplaces for heat; gas and electrical fixtures supplied light. In the front parlor, the scene of several family weddings, a framed mirror ran from the floor to the ceiling, decorated with a mural. A two-story carriage house at the back of the lot once held the major ' s match- ed teams of horses and the carriages. A red cement carriage drive was lined by red hibiscus, the major ' s favorite flower. The north yard was Mrs. Littlefield ' s rose garden. As in Littlefield ' s will, the house became University property in 1935 and then housed several different tenants. In 1936, it became the headquarters of the Austin and Universi- ty Centennial Exposition. From 1938 until 1942, when the Music Building was com- pleted, the Department of Music ' s offices were there. Until 1957, the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps had headquarters there, with its anti-aircraft guns on the front lawn and a firing range in the attic. After 1957, until restoration by University alumni began in 1967, the house was again used for music student rehearsal rooms. In 1982, the Littlefield Home stood at the corner of 24th Street and Whitis Avenue, no longer on the outskirts of a tiny rural col- lege, but surrounded by the large, modern buildings of a major university. One of the oldest buildings on campus, it sheltered the UT Development Board, and the carriage house held the offices of the University News and Information Service. But even though much of its surround- ings were altered in 88 years, the Littlefield Home remained a constant reminder of a time before the University of Texas was so large, so rich, and so imposing. It stood as an elegant symbol of, and memorial to, the man with a dream who through the gift of his wealth and talents, helped push the University toward excellence. 10 Littlefield Home