98 



THK ENTOMOLOGIST S RECORD. 



Tiibiis: Maniolidi. 



Erehia, Dalm., aethiops, Esp. 



Meliiinpias, Hb., epiphron, Knoch 

 Tribas: Satyridi. 



Melanargia, Meig., gnlathea, L. 



Epinepliele, lAh., janira, L. 



titllOHKS, L. 



Eiiodia, Hb., hijpcranthus, L. 

 llipparcliid, Fab., seuiele, L. 

 Tribus ; Ypthimidi. 

 Coenonympha, Hb., tiphon, Rott. 

 pamphilus, L. 

 Gens: NYMPHALES. 

 Familia: NYMPHALID.E. 

 Subfamilia : NYMPHALIN.E. 

 Stirps : NYMPHALINA. 

 Tribu.s : Argynnidi. 

 Subtribus : Argynnini. 

 Dnjds, Hb., 2>(ip^'''^'< ^■ 

 Argyimit:, Fab., lathonia, L. 

 adippe, L. 

 aglaia, L. 



BrenVds, Hb., euphwsyne, L. 

 selene, Schifl'. 

 Tribus : Melit.eidi. 



Melitaea, Fab., athalia, Eott. 

 ciiixia, L. 

 aurinia, Eott. 

 Tribus : Vanessidi. 

 Subtribus : Vanessini. 



Pyrameis, Hb., airdui, L. 

 atalanta, L. 



Affliun, Hb., urticae, L. 



T^«)tes.s'((, Fab., io, L. 



Eugonia, Yih., pohjchloros, L. 



Euvanessa, Scud., antlopa, L. 



Polygonia, Hb., c-albiim, L. 

 Tribus : Apaturidi. 



Apatiira, Fab., in's, L. 

 Tribus : Limenitidi. 

 Subtribus : Limenitini. 



Limciiitis, Fab., .^ihylla, L. 



Protective Mimicry as Evidence for tlie Validity of tlie Ttieory of 

 Natural Selection.* 



By PROFESSOR EDWARD B. POULTON, M.A., F.R.S., F.Z.S., etc. 



Several suggestions have been put forward to account for the super- 

 ficial resemblances between animals, especially insects, occupying the 

 same geographical area. It has been suggested, and indeed strongly 

 maintained, that food, climate, or some other chemical or physical 

 influence of the locality may have supplied the cause. On the other 

 hand, many naturalists consider that the facts cannot be interpreted 

 by any of these suggested causes, and only receive an intelligible and 

 probable explanation in the theory of natural selection. This theory 

 supposes that the resemblance is advantageous in the struggle for 

 existence, the weaker forms being shielded by their resemblance to the 

 strong and well-defended species (mimicry of H. W. Bates), or the latter 

 gaining by a resemblance which enables their local enemies more easily 

 — and thus with a smaller waste of life — to recognise and avoid them 

 (mimicry of Fritz Miiller). The present paper directs attention to 

 certain facts commonly associated with mimetic resemblance which 

 receive a ready explanation upon the theory of natural selection as the 

 efficient cau.se, but, on the other hand, constitute a serious difficulty 

 in the way of any other theories as yet brought forward. 



Natural selection, as is well known, acts uponrt»// variations, what- 

 ever they may be, which are in the advantageous direction, and are at 

 the same time not injurious in themselves. When the end to be gained 

 (in this case the attainment of a superficial resemblance) is common to 

 a variety of distantly related species possessing entirely different con- 

 stitutional tendencies, we may feel confident that an approach brought 

 about by natural selection will be by extremely diverse paths of 

 variation. Under natural selection we might predict that such a 



* Abstract of a paper read before Section D of the British Association, at 

 Toronto, on Aug. 2'.hd, 1897. (Printed by permission of the Council of the British 

 Association). 



