8 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



extreme aberration is accidental, are the intermediate and 

 connecting links obtained at the same time and place also 

 accidental ? I believe not ; it appears to me that the last cannot 

 reasonably be so considered, therefore neither can the first, 

 because it is certainly a development of the latter. 



Another interesting line of enquiry suggests itself: — Suppose 

 it were possible to separate and completely cut off either the 

 obsolete, increscent, or confluent forms from all intercourse with 

 the type or other forms, what would be the result? It is not 

 possible, for obvious reasons, to say what would ensue ; but as it 

 seems fairly certain that all the forms are reproduced year after 

 year, even whilst associated with the type, it may be inferred 

 that the form of aberration, possessed in different degrees by 

 each of the individuals belonging to an isolated group, would 

 become specialised. For instance, if all specimens exhibiting a 

 tendency to confluency were removed apart, then a race having 

 the characteristics of the most highly developed aberration would 

 probably be established. 



Under existing circumstances the pairing of males and 

 females of similar aberrant forms is quite a matter of chance, 

 but I should suppose that such unions are sometimes effected. 

 Although the offspring of a well- matched pair of aberrations 

 would be likely to consist of a larger proportion of individuals of 

 the parent form, still a fair number of the descendants of a 

 typical male and aberrant female would be found to favour the 

 female parent. The progeny of an aberrant male and typical 

 female would probably for the most part inherit the cliaracters of 

 the female parent, and I think it possible tbat the under-surface 

 aberrations known as " odd-sided vars." are due to the union of 

 such ill-assorted couples. It will, however, be more convenient 

 to postpone the further consideration of these matters until the 

 variation of L. icarus and L. corydon has been referred to and 

 certain allied species dealt with, when the whole subject can be 

 more fully entered upon and discussed. 



(To be continued.) 



