( xli ) 



upon which undoubtedly rest, to a great extent, the Bates- 

 Miiller theories, is by no means so complete as is desirable for 

 their thorough establishment. 



Professor Packard then proceeds to discuss the case of 

 Anosia plexijjpus, which is usually considered to be a dis- 

 tasteful species mimicked by Limenitis disippus. Evidence of 

 the edibility or otherwise of Limenitis is wanting, but judging 

 by the abundance of individuals and slow flight, it may be 

 regarded as a protected genus. As regards Anosia j)lexippus, 

 the evidence adduced certainly goes to show that the insect is 

 distasteful, since in one case the insect was caught but not 

 eaten, and in the second was refused with apparent signs of 

 disgust after close inspection. The statement further adduced 

 that Limenitis disippus has never been seen to be attacked, 

 goes to confirm the conclusion that it is also inedible. 



Professor Packard then proceeds to give the observations of 

 Mr. Finn given in his "Contributions to the Theory of 

 Warning Colours and INIimicry." Little need be said here 

 on the subject of these experiments, except to quote Mr. Finn's 

 final conclusions : " That many, probably most, species (of 

 birds) dislike, if not intensely, at any rate in comparison with 

 other butterflies the ' warningly coloured ' Danainse, Acrnea 

 viols;, Delias eucharis and Papilio aristolochiae ; of these the 

 last being the most distasteful, and the Danainx the least so." 



In the paper under discussion considerable space is devoted 

 to enumerating instances of birds eating butterflies both 

 under natural conditions and in captivity, and the general 

 impression to be gained from the expressed opinions of the 

 various authorities quoted may be summed up in the state- 

 ment that whilst .some birds in the wild state, and many in 

 captivity, show a marked appetite for butterflies, observations 

 of instances of the destruction of the latter by the former are 

 of rare occurrence. 



It should not be however forgotten that where evidence 

 of such destruction has been systematically sought it has been 

 found to be plentiful, and I would refer those interested to 

 the very extensive work in this direction which has been 

 carried out by Mr. G. A. K. Marshall in South Africa, a full 

 description of which has been given in the joint communica- 



