COLIAS I. 



agree with the Labradoi" Pelldne, and some witli the European Pala'no, forming 

 another connecting hnk. He attributes tlic ditterences between all these varieties 

 to locality and climate. A carefnl reading of Mr. Schilde's paper leads me to the 

 following conclnsion : that occasionally a variety of PeVulne appears that re- 

 sembles a variety of Palanio or the average type of that species ; and the con- 

 verse also is true. Bnt the average type of each species is distinct, and tlie 

 connection between the two is no more than might be expected between any 

 two nearly related species that at some time have come from a common ancestor. 

 Both Pahi'iio and Pelidne are stated to be very variable, and among the 

 multitude of variations some of either species must approach the other. Even 

 Mr. Sehilde says that the name of Pelidne should be retained for the Labrador 

 branch of the species, and really nothing more need be said, for if the two forms, 

 supposing them to have at some time been one, are now so distinct that eaeii 

 breeds true to itself, each is to-day a good species. There can be no better test 

 of a species. When eggs laid by a female Pelidne produce thitt type and also 

 Pakeno, or eggs by a female Palanio produce the two forms, then undoubtedly 

 the two are shown to be one species, and dimorphic. And it is surprising that 

 so little has been done in Europe, where Lepidopterists have worked for a cen- 

 tury, towards settling such questions as this, whether any two or more given 

 forms are species, or varieties only. Certainly the relationship of Palcuno and 

 iMpponica, or Palceno and Pelidne, could be determined in one season by the 

 very sim[)le process of shutting up one or more females of either with a plant of 

 growing clover, on which the eggs will be deposited abundantly. This alone 

 will test the relationship, and no amount of argument as to climatic influences 

 ever can. 



