The Life-History and Anatomy of Butterflies 
thought, before the truth was known, to constitute a separate 
species. 
Albinism and Melanism.— Albinos, white or light-colored 
forms, are quite common among butterflies, principally among 
the females. On the other hand, melanism, or a tendency to the 
production of dark or even black forms, reveals itself. Melanism 
is rather more common in the case of the male sex than in 
the female sex. The collector and student will always endeavor, 
if possible, to preserve these curious aberrations. as they are 
called. We do not yet entirely understand what are the causes 
which are at work to produce these changes in the color, and all 
such aberrant specimens have interest for the scientific man. 
Monstrosities .—Curious malformations, producing monstrosi¬ 
ties, sometimes occur among insects, as in other animals, and 
such malformed specimens should likewise be preserved when 
found. One form of malformation which is not altogether un¬ 
common consists in an apparent confusion of sexes in specimens, 
the wings of a male insect being attached to the body of a female, 
or half of an insect being male and half female. 
Mimicry.—O ne of the most singular and interesting facts in 
the animal kingdom is what has been styled mimicry. Certain 
colors and forms are possessed by animals which adapt them to 
their surroundings in such wise that they are in a greater or less 
degree secured from observation and attack. Or they possess 
forms and colors which cause them to approximate in appear¬ 
ance other creatures, which for some reason are feared or disliked 
by animals which might prey upon them, and in consequence of 
this resemblance enjoy partial or entire immunity. Some butter¬ 
flies, for instance, resemble dried leaves, and as they are seated 
upon the twigs of trees they wholly elude the eye. This illustrates 
the first form of mimicry. Other butterflies so closely approxi¬ 
mate in form and color species which birds and other insects will 
not attack, because of the disagreeable juices which their bodies 
contain, that they are shunned by their natural enemies, in spite 
of the fact that they belong to groups of insects which are 
ordinarily greedily devoured by birds and other animals. A 
good illustration of this fact is found in the case of the Disippus 
Butterfly, which belongs to a group which is not specially pro¬ 
tected, but is often the prey of insect-eating creatures. This 
butterfly has assumed almost the exact color and markings of the 
