558 Mr. A. H. Thayer on 



feel sure that this hypothesis is absurd ; and were it 

 correct, it would complete a chain of seemingly perfect 

 evidence. 



After we see how inexplicable it would be if butterflies 

 did not either resemble flowers, or represent some portion 

 of flower-scenery, why should we, in view of the endless 

 variety of flower-forms, stick at an}^ form or pattern in 

 the butterfly that frequents them ? One must constantl}^ 

 remember that (my pattern is less conspicuous than bright, 

 unshiny monochrome. Therefore, "conspicuous" is not the 

 right word for the character of patterned butterflies. 



Now since the Ithomiinw, Hcliconinie, and Danainx, 

 such for instance as the similarly coloured cow-red and 

 chrome-yellow, black-bordered JllcIincVci, HcHconivs, and 

 Lyrorea (and equally, in other colour-schemes, all the 

 other so-called mimicking groups), are in every way com- 

 pletely painted by Nature into these three tones, — the 

 note of shado'W under vcgiiation making their borders, 

 which it occupies, coalesce with the shadow under the 

 flowers, and disappear, while the red and chrome wonder- 

 fully reproduce the colours and patterns of such flowers 

 as Oclontoglossum trium2)hcnis, who shall say that it is not 

 to this flower — which perhaps, by its abundance, dominates 

 the region — that these cow-red and chrome-yellow butter- 

 flies owe their common appearance ? Some such flower 

 may be overwhelmingly attractive for its honey. 



Perhaps the most conclusive of all our evidence is to 

 be seen in the transparent winged members of these 

 mimicry groups. Dismorpliia orise, for instance, with its 

 green transparencies enclosed in a pattern of the same 

 velvety dark fuscous that I have already described. What 

 conceivable artifice could offer greater opportunity for 

 frequently remaining unnoticed amidst flowers and leaves ? 



These little green windows must of course allow any 

 bright object to show through them, while the fuscous 

 cuts the aspect to pieces by representing a shadow far 

 below the insect. The very word trcmsparcnt wrecks any 

 theory of conspicuousness or adaptation suitable for a 

 badge. Add to this the present belief that the trans- 

 parency has been attained through selection, and ought not 

 those who hold this theory to believe that concealment 

 was obviously the goal of a rhmujc toward invisibility .? 

 It is hard to conceive of a better device for representing 

 little green leaves than by these glossy green, leaf-shaped, 



