Vol. XXlv] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 25 



the male yellow and a close ally, hobomok, has two distinct 

 forms of female. 



From these many antigenetic forms, a few have been select- 

 ed and their remarkable difference has been said to have been 

 brought about through mimicking another species which is 

 said to be nauseous to birds. Mr. W. H. Edwards has written 

 a very interesting account of Papilio turnus glaucus and it may 

 be of moment to briefly refer to what he says of it. 



"Some unknown influence caused the black female form to 

 appear as a distinct variety, and that, owing to some circum- 

 stance, it thereby gained an advantage over its rival, which 

 caused it finally to supplant the other." There is one state- 

 ment in the above that is not correct. The black female has 

 not supplanted the other. There is also an assumption to 

 which I take exception. Does anyone know which one appear- 

 ed first and why? Many species have a black or blackish fe- 

 male. Pamphila hobomok is the exact counterpart of turnus 

 as regards trimorphism. Lycaena pseudargiolus presents an 

 analogous condition, only reversed, as it has two kinds of 

 males, a black one and a blue one. This is also true in a 

 lesser degree of Colias philodice which rarely has a melanic 

 male. Mr. Edwards impartially presents both sides of the ar- 

 gument and my remarks are not in criticism of his article. 

 I only use it as a text. He found no evidence that the heat 

 of summer or the cold of winter exerts any influence in caus- 

 ing one or the other form of the female. He also mentions 

 the theory of protection due to the difference in color be- 

 tween the females and thinks the gay color of the yellow fe- 

 male makes it an easier prey of birds. He elaborates on the 

 bird theory but in relation to this it is only necessary to say 

 that the Biological Survey has examined fifty thousand bird 

 stomachs and only found butterflies in five stomachs. No spe- 

 cies of butterflies have been found in the stomachs of 

 American "Flycatchers." He further says "Papilio pliilenor 

 has a strong disagreeable scent, and it has been suggested by 

 Mr. Mead, that this rendering it distasteful to birds would 

 serve to protect other black species flying with it." The dis- 



