the prototype of V, Urticce ? 5 



V. C-albim Europe, N. and W. Asia. 



V. I-alhum Asia Minor, S. Europe. 



F. V-album Asia Minor, S. Europe. 



7. Calif ornica California. 



7. PolycJiloros Europe, Asia. 



7. Xanthomelas E. Europe, N. India. 



7. CasJimirensis N. India. 



7. UrticcB Europe, W. Asia. 



7. Milberti S . America. 



These were only a few of the more striking transitional 

 forms selected for the purpose of illustrating the argument. 



In the language of evolution we should therefore say that 

 the genus Vanessa was in a very complete state of phyletic 

 preservation, i.e., all the species having diverged from a 

 common ancestor, the various steps in the process of diver- 

 gence, instead of having become extinct and leaving large 

 gaps between the species, as so frequently happens, have 

 been more or less preserved down to the present time. Poly- 

 chloros, Xanthomelas, Urticce, &c., are thus true blood-relations, 

 and, in accordance with the laws of heredity, it is not there- 

 fore surprising, although extremely interesting, that we 

 should find one of these species occasionally giving rise to a 

 variety resembling an aUied form. If, therefore, Mr. White 

 means to ask whether Polychloros is the progenitor of Urtica 

 on the strength of his having obtained a variety of the latter 

 resembling the former, he (the President) would be inclined 

 to answer that the two species under consideration, with then- 

 congeneric forms, had all descended from a common ancestor, 

 and that the variety in question was a case of reversion to this 

 ancestral type. 



In illustration of the foregoing remarks the President 

 exhibited specimens of Urticis and Polychloros, with the inter- 

 mediate North Indian 7. Cashmirensis, and, as a parallel case, 

 Pyrameis Atalanta and Carclid, with the intermediate P. 

 Callirhoe, likewise from N. India. 



[Mr. A. G. Butler, F.L.S., F.Z.S., of the Zoological 

 Department, British Museum, has kindly furnished the Editor 

 with the following valuable observations on the above : — 



