gyu HALF HOURS WITH INSECTS. [Packard. 



as standing at the head of the group of butterflies, the Papi- 

 lio usually being assigned to this position. Here, then, the 

 mimickers are possibly lower in rank than the butterflies 

 they mimic. This is certainly the case with the Castnia and 

 the moths mentioned by Mr. Bates, and bears out our idea 

 that the mimickers may have been produced in an age ante- 

 rior to the origin of the Heliconidic, and that the causes 

 which produced the one perhaps originated the other. The 



Fig. 22G. 



Limeiiitis Archippus. 



mimickers created in a former geological period may have 

 been preserved by virtue of their resemblance to butterflies 

 originating at a later date. 



Many of the Bombycid moths are remarkable mimics of 

 other moths, and this group, with tlie wide gaps in it, may 

 be compared to the Neuroptera witli their isolated genera 

 and families. I regard the Bombycids as an ancient family 

 in which time has made many inroads, and the relics which 

 have come down to us may have owed their preservation 

 largely to the protective mimicry of tlie caterpillars anil co- 

 coons to leaves and other objects, and of the moths to other 

 moths. 



Assuming, then, that protective mimicry has been an im- 

 puriant lactor in the preservation of species, we will exam- 



2 



