56 NATURAL) SCIENCE: Jan., 1893. 
present is insufficient for us to be able to determine whether the 
hairiness of V.bombylans is as the ‘‘ skins of the kids of the goats,” or 
if the Esaus of the genus have practised the converse deception. 
If this theory be correct, the colouration of Volucella must be 
removed from the category of ‘‘ aggressive mimicry”; unless, indeed, 
the general bee-like appearance disarms suspicion when the Volucella 
are flying in the neighbourhood of the nests of the Bombi. It 
seems more probable that the dimorphic mimicry of V. bombylans is of 
‘‘warning” value, and this is far more in accordance with the 
mimicry occurring in dimorphic forms among other groups of insects. 
During the past summer I made a few experiments to test this 
point. Specimens of V. inanis and of both varieties of V. bombylans 
were offered to six lizards whose ordinary diet consisted of worms, 
blue-bottle flies, and caterpillars. In each instance the Volucelle were 
inspected from a distance and watched attentively, but not one 
was tasted or even licked. When the Volucell@ flew round the cages 
the lizards exhibited the utmost alarm. 
These lizards were brought from Italy in the spring, and had not 
previously, while in my keeping, been alarmed by any bees or other 
insects capable of inflicting injury upon them. It was interesting to 
observe that the wasp-like V. inanis was evidently regarded with 
greater fear than V. bombylans. The same dread of any insect banded 
with black and yellow, e¢.g., larva of Euchelia jacobee, was frequently 
exhibited. 
It is evident that as yet we are not in a position to dogmatise 
concerning the mimicry exhibited by these (and many other) insects. 
Now that attention has been called to our previous somewhat hasty 
conclusions, it is to be hoped that the work will be taken in hand by 
many independent observers during next season. The Volucelle 
abound in nearly all country places, and are easy to keep under 
observation in captivity. An interesting point to record, among 
others, would be the relative proportions of the sexes in the two 
varieties of V. bombylans and the mystacea variety. In a series of fourteen 
taken last summer, consisting of eight V. bombylans and six var. mystacea, 
all the former are males, but only one of the latter. Theories to 
explain mimicry we have in abundance; let us hope for more facts in 
the future. 
OswaLp H. Latter. 
