1 88 Lloyd's natural history. 



Mimicry, which, though often misunderstood and exaggerated, 

 has thrown a flood of Hght on many phenomena that sorely 

 needed such an explanation. In brief. Bates observed that 

 certain Butterflies were never molested by birds, and that other 

 insects, either Moths or Butterflies belonging to other genera, 

 and usually to other Families, v/hich closely resembled these in 

 colour, markings, and habits, apparently shared in their immunity 

 from attack. He therefore concluded that in the course of 

 generations (we do not say ages, for in the case of insects, 

 which are probably more plastic, and also much more short- 

 lived than higher animals, a very long period might not be 

 required) the colours of the unprotected insects have gradu- 

 ally become assimilated to those of the protected ones, by the 

 constant weeding out of those which did not sufficiently re- 

 semble them. This may be taken as a brief outline of the 

 theory of mimicry as applied to the resemblance of an unpro- 

 tected to a protected insect; but there are probably many 

 instances of pseudo-mimicry in which neither species gains 

 any direct advantage from its resemblance to another. In such 

 cases the resemblance may be due solely to the influence of 

 similar surrounding conditions or of habits. 



The transformations of the Dioptidce. are at present un- 

 known. 



GENUS LAURON. 



Dioptis, Group ii, Laiiron^ Walker, List Lepid. Ins. Brit. 



Mus. ii. p. 333 (1854). 

 Laurona^ Walker, List Lepid. Ins. Brit. Mus. xxxi. p. 148 



(1864). 

 In this genus the antennae are pectinated, the legs slender, 

 and the abdomen moderately long and slender. The Moths 

 resemble small Ithoinii7ice^ and the wings are generally more or 

 less transparent. 



