INSECT IMITATK'X. Oii / 



base to the tip, together with two rows of spots near tlie edge, 

 the outer row nearly circular, and the inner luther oblong. 



The second species, Hdiconius Hecalesia, is a native of Bogota,, 

 and is one of the many rare insects that Mr. Ba.tes brought 

 from South America. There is only one specimen in the 

 British Museum. Its ground colour is velvet black, and near 

 the outer edge of both pairs of wings are some large spots of 



Fig. :i:iti.— IIcliL-ouius il.- 

 (Velvet blaek and greeni 



greenish yellow. At the base of the lower wings is a large patch 

 of bright chestnut. Below, the colours are the same, but rather 

 duller than on the upper surface. 



This insect almost exactly imitates another Butterfly of the 

 same distric^.t, called Tithorea Hecalesina. The two insects fly 

 together in company — perhaps for the purpose of protection. 

 Mimicry is very common among the species of this large genus, 

 and, as is remarked by Dr. Horsfield, the South American genus 

 Heliconius is represented in Asia by the genera Euploea and 

 Idea. The larvse of Heliconius fpfd on the Pnssiflorae. 



