本書為一本詩集，是由湯姆麥哥文（Tom McGovern）所寫，收錄有一首以福爾摩沙蝴蝶（The Butterflies of Taiwan）為題之詩，全詩如下： I said: Because it is the case that Every living man must in the end die, While we are in the world let us be merry. But I found that happiness comes not with pursuing. Like the butterflies of Taiwan, It flutters about the coolie pushing the toro up-hill; The mother with the burden in her body or on her back. It is wary of the net of the pursuer, Or curious, like the butterflies of Taiwan? 詩中也將他在臺灣所見之景象入詩，例如coolie即苦力之意。此書中其他的詩主要是McGovern在日本九州的經歷而作。