74 



ancient genus in process of dying out, more probable. It is, indeed, a fact 

 that several species of the genus are by no means common, some being even 

 very rare, while it is extremely doubtful that this should be due to the scarcity 

 of the food plant. 



The pupae, as far as they are known to me, have not the form of those 

 of Cyllo Leda L., but rather resemble the chr)'salides of some species of 

 Debis, such as Debis manthara Felder. 



The species of this genus furnish ample material for theorizing about 

 mimicr)'. As a matter of fact they follow the various lines of colour evolution — 

 as is the case with so many MalayoAustralian butterflies, and which, as has 

 already been explained above, finds its strongest expression in the genera 

 Euploea and Dana is — and in such a manner that whereas one species follows 

 on the lines of coloration in Euploeas others follow on those of Danaids. In 

 some even, such as E. Undulahis Drury, in a similar manner as occurs in 

 Euploea Midamus L., /. e. the c? following on the lines of coloration in Euploas 

 while the 9 moves in the direction of Danais where, as for instance in D. Genutia 

 Cram., a considerable amount of red has been retained. For, that it is a 

 question here of colour evolution is clearly demonstrated from a comparison 

 between the races E. Caudata Bull., in the d* of which much more of the 

 ancient Danais colour has been retained than in that of E. Undularis Drury 

 and E. Nigrescens Butl., both sexes of which have practically become entirely 

 obfuscated. For, as Martin justly assumes, these forms are nothing but races, 

 while climatic influences or the fantastic conception of insular melanism, any 

 more than former land connections, have nothing to do with this phenomenon. 

 It simply exhibits the various stages of transition as they arise from the uneven 

 advance of the evolutionary darkening process. Al these cases of colour 

 agreement are loosely accepted as instances of mimicry and the particulair 

 species thus imitated are indicated without hesitation, although unprejudiced 

 observation would clearly show that of such accurate copying there is never 

 any question and moreover, on account of the somewhat concealing habit of 

 most of the Elvmnia imagines, this mimetic protection would be of little use 

 to them. 



I. Undularis Drury. (PI. XVIII, fig. 58^, 58<J). 



Druky, ///. Exo/. Ell/., II, //. 10, //V. 2 (1773) . Papilio Undularis. 



Cramer, II, />. 141, //. 189, E. G. (1779). . . „ Protogenia. 



Ill, /. I 10, />/. 256, A. D. (1782) . . „ Undularis. 



HiiBNER, Ztilmgc, I, /. 12, //. 37, 38 (181 8) . . Elymnias Jynx. 



