504 MR. H. W. BATES ON THE LEPIDOPTERA 



the normal facics of the genus or family to which they severally belong*. The re- 

 semblance is so close, that it is only after long practice that the true can be distinguished 

 from the counterfeit, when on the wing in their native forests. I was never able to 

 distinguish the LcptaUdcs from the si^ecies they imitated, although they belong to a 

 family totally different in structure and metamorphosis from the IIeIiconi(hv, without 

 examining them closely after capture. They fly in the same parts of the forest, and 

 generally in company with the species they mimic. 



I have already given an account of the local modifications to which the Reliconidce are 

 subject. It is a most curious circumstance, that corresponding races or species of coimter- 

 feiting groups accompany these local forms. In some cases I found proof that such species 

 are modified from place to place to suit the peculiar forms of Helicon id cv there stationed. 

 As this is an important point, and one which throws light on the origin of mimetic species, 

 I must ask the reader's careful attention to the details, referring to the plates. 



Plate LV. fig. 1« {Ithoiiiia Flora) and fig. 1 {Lcptalis Theoiwe) represent a HeUconide 

 and its imitator, both of which inhabit the banks of the Cupari, a river belonging to the 

 Amazon system, in 55' W. long. Neither of these is found on the Upper Amazons 

 (60° to 70° W. long.), where I made the remaining part of my observations on these 

 insects. At Ega, on tliis u})per river, in 65° W. long., two species of Hhoniia occurred, 

 which I consider to be local varieties or races of I. Flora, namely, /. Onega (PL LV. 

 fig. 2 a) and /. Illinissa (PL LV. fig. Qa). It is immaterial to the question in hand 

 whether thes^^ be considered alisolutely distinct species or races ; the Jjeptalis whicli 

 was found in their company was the form called L. Lijsinoii (PL LV. fig. 3), with its ad- 

 mitted varieties (figs, l, 5, 6, and 8). Only one of these varieties of Leijtalis mimics 

 an Ilhomia; this is our fig. 6, which evidently counterfeits Ilhoinia Illinissa (fig. 6<^). 

 The prevailing form of Leptalis, the L. Ijijainoe (fig. 3), has no resemblance to any 

 Tthoniia of Ega, but is, when Hying, a wonderful imitation of the Slalac/ifis Dnralii 

 (PL LV. fig. 3^/), a common insect belonging to a genus (iamily Eri/cinidcv) equally 

 flourishing and abundant in individuals with the meni])ers of the iamily Helicon idee. I 

 think there will be no doul)t in the mind of any one that the Ega Leptalides are local 

 varieties of the Cu2)ari L. Theonoe (fig. 1), when all the connecting links between them are 

 studied in the figures given on our two i)lates. It is liighly proljable, therefore, that 

 this species has been by some means modified with esjjecial reference to the changed 

 Ithoinia;, or other insects, of the locality. The varieties, llgs. l, 5, and 8, were excessively 

 rare : they have the appearaiu-t' of sports, and show how variable the species has been in 

 t his district. 



The same takes place at St. I'aulo, in 09° AV. long. Here we iind the Ilhoniiw again 

 changed. Neither Die /. ]<lora of the Cupari and Lower Amazons nor the I. lUinissa of 

 Ega occurs; hut (lie second Ega species, /. Onega, inhal)its tlie district, and several otlier 

 s])ecies not found in otiier ])Lices, amongst them I. Ilerdina (PL LVI. fig. la), I. C/ir//so- 

 donia (PL LVI. li-'. 3^/), and /. f'ij-gi//ia (PL LVI. i\<j;. i'ta). Tiie prevailing spcn-ies of 



* This may l)0 sueii from (he figures given of Leptalis,— fi^j:,. :>, PL LVI. being /.. Xc/icii/in, a species exhibitiiig (lie 

 usual form of the family Pifrida; to which the genus Lppta/ix belongs ; whilst all tiie other Leptalides figured are 

 mimetic species, totally unlike, as far as facics is concerned, this normal form. 



