RESEMBLANCES AMONG ANIMALS. 77 



The second law is, that these resemblances are not 

 indiscriminate, but are limited to certain groups, which 

 in every case are abundant in species and individuals, 

 and can often be ascertained to have some special 

 protection. 



The third law is, that the species which resemble 

 or " mimic " these dominant groups, are comparatively 

 less abundant in individuals, and are often very rare. 



These laws will be found to hold good, in all the 

 cases of true mimicry among various classes of animals 

 to which we have now to call the attention of our 

 readers. 



Mimicry among Lepidoptera. 



As it is among butterflies that instances of mimicry 

 are most numerous and most striking, an account of 

 some of the more prominent examples in this group will 

 first be given. There is in South America an extensive 

 family of these insects, the Heliconids3, which are in 

 many respects very remarkable. They are so abundant 

 and characteristic in all the woody portions of the 

 American tropics, that in almost every locality they 

 will be seen more frequently than any other butterflies. 

 They are distinguished by very elongate wings, body, 

 and antennce, and are exceedingly beautiful and varied 

 in their colours ; spots and patches of yellow, red, or 

 pure white upon a black, blue, or brown ground, being 

 most general. They frequent the forests chiefly, and all 

 fly slowly and weakly; yet although they are so conspi- 

 cuous, and could certainly be caught by insectivorous 



