252 ENTOMOLOGISK TIDSKRIFT 1918. 



final cause of these analogies. When we see a species of 

 Moth which frequents flowers in the daytime wearing the 

 appearance of a Wasp, we fel compelled to infer that the 

 imitation is intended to protect the otherwise defenceless 

 insect by deceiving insectivorous animals, which persecute 

 the Moth, but avoid the Wasp. May not the Heliconide 

 dress serve the same purpose to the Leptalisr Is it not 

 probable, seeing the excessive abundance of the one species 

 and the fewness of individuals of the other, that the Heli- 

 conide is free from the persecution to which the Lcptalis is 

 subjected? — — — What advantages the Heliconidœ pos- 

 sess to make them so flourishing a group, and consequently 

 the objects of so much mimetic resemblance, it is not easy 

 to discover. — — — It is probable they are unpalatable to 

 insect enemies.» Och så följer förklaringen. »The process 

 by which a mimetic analogy is brought about in nature is a 

 problem which involves that of the origin of all species and 

 all adaptations. — — — The explanation of this seems to 

 be quite clear on the theory of natural selection, as recently 

 expounded by Mr. Darwin in the 'Origin of Species'.» 



Vi se alltså, att mimicry lika väl som varningsfärger och 

 skyddande likhet finner sin rot i det 'naturliga urvalet'. På 

 samma gång som den hämtar näring ur selektionsteorien ut 

 gör mimicry även ett starkt stöd för denna. Detta visar 

 bl. a. den förtjusning, med vilken Darwin mottog Bates" 

 arbete. Han skriver nämligen i ett brev daterat den 20. 

 november 1862: »DEAR Bates, 1 have just finished, after 

 several reads, your paper. In my opinion it is one of the 

 most remarkable and admirable papers I ever read in my 

 life. — — — 1 rejoice that I passed over the whole subject 

 in the Origin^^ox I should have made a precious mess of it. 

 You have most clearly stated and solved a wonderful pro- 

 lem. — — — Your paper is too good to be largely appre- 

 ciated by the mob of naturalists without souls, but rely on 

 it, that it will have lasting value, and I cordially congratulate 

 you on your first great work.»^ 



Någon tid efter sedan Bate.s' arbete utkom, publice- 

 rade A. Gerstäcker en sammanställning av 'F'orm-nnalogien 



' Bates 1802, Memoir, s. 45. 



