CHAPTER V 



SOME CRITICISMS 



The facts related in the last two chapters are 

 sufficient to make it clear that these remarkable 

 resemblances between species belonging as a rule 

 to widely different groups constitute a real pheno- 

 menon, and as such demand an explanation. One 

 explanation, that in terms of the theory of mimicry, 

 has already been outlined, and we may now turn to 

 consider it in more detail. Some years ago Wallace^, 

 combating the suggestion that these instances of 

 resemblance might be mere coincidences, laid down 

 five conditions which he stated were applicable to 

 all such cases, and rendered utterly inadequate any 

 explanation other than in terms of natural selection. 

 These five conditions are of historical interest and 

 may also serve as a peg for sundry criticisms in con- 

 nection with the mimicry theory. They are as follows : 



(1) That the imitative species occur in the same 

 area and occupy the very same station as the imitated. 



(2) That the imitators are always the more 

 defenceless. 



1 Darwinism, 1890 (1st Edition 1889), p. 264. 



