Vol. XXlv] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 113 



The Danaine Species of North America and their 



Mimics (Lepid.). 



Bates' Theory as Applied to These Species. 

 By I. R. HASKIN, Los Angeles, California. 



Introductory. 



Each of the North American Danaidas, occupying separate 

 and fairly well-defined territories, has a corresponding species 

 of Limenitis so clearly resembling it in general appearance as 

 to force the conclusion that their resemblances are the result 

 of mimicry. 



Professor E. B. Poulton (i) (5) has pointed out that these 

 American species offer one of the most clear-cut cases of mi- 

 micry in the world. Plc.rippus and archippus, berenice and 

 floridensis are well known and a great deal of literature is at 

 hand concerning them. During the past few years my atten- 

 tion has been called more particularly to D. strigosa and L. 

 obsoleta. The curious mimetic relationship between the other 

 members of the two genera is so strikingly followed out in 

 these two comparatively unknown species that I venture to 

 describe them at some length. 



D. strigosa and D. berenice. 



It is well known that the North American Danaidas consist 

 of plexippus and berenice, together with Bates' form strigosa. 

 Strigosa is generally understood to be like berenice, except that 

 the veins on the upper side of the secondaries are finely bor- 

 dered with ashen gray. There is, however, a much more no- 

 ticeable difference between the western dry-climate form, which 

 we believe Bates had in mind when he described and named 

 strigosa, and the form berenice found in the humid semi-tropi- 

 cal climate of Florida. In Arizona strigosa is very common 

 and in certain sections thousands of them may be seen during 

 a favorable season. Long series of them show that the rich, 

 uniform, chocolate-brown of the upper side of berenice occurs 

 only in the basal area of both wings and along the costal edge 

 of the primary halfway to the apex. The discal areas shade 

 outwardly to a lighter brown and the limbal areas are markedly 



