Howard Russell Butler, American, 1856-1934 Andrew Carnegie L.L.D., Lord Rector of the University of St Andrews, 1901-1907. Courtesy of the Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum (ACBM 1928/156)

Howard Russell Butler, American, 1856–1934, Portrait of Thomas Moran, ca. 1922, Oil on canvas, Guild Hall Museum, East Hampton, NY, gift of Mrs. F. Stanhope Philips Photo: Gary Mamay

William Allen Butler Jr., Classof 1876 (1853–1923) (brotherof artist) Oil oncanvas 74.9 x 61.6 cm Princeton University, gift of the artist (Howard Russell Butler) to the Princeton University Rowing Association PP197

但当他有一次在缅因州的海边看到极光的时候，他的科学知识派上了用场。尽管他身处室外，他却没有急于涂抹那些墨绿色、蓝紫色的极光线条，只是快速地描绘下北极光的形态和轮廓，然后准确记录下极光的颜色、形状和特点。