58 Prizes. 



which were strongest, or most able to escape their enemies, or best 

 adapted for the requirements of life) the white being best off, 

 would win the day in the struggle for existence ; whereas in 

 other regions the white varieties being the worst off, would rarely 

 survive at all, or, if they did, would only survive sporadically, and 

 so be unable to perpetuate their race. Mr. Darwin mentions one 

 memorable fact which shews how reasonable is this conclusion. 

 The pigs of Florida are all black. Why } because they have been 

 specially created black ? No, but because, curiously enough, pigs of 

 every colour except black, are so injuriously affected by the 

 Lachnanthes or paint-root, that their bones are turned pink by it, 

 and their hoofs fall off. Black pigs are not thus injured, and in 

 consequence black pigs have won the day. 



I will mention only one other confirmatory evidence. It is this, 

 that these mimetic forms are found mainly amonginsects, and mainly 

 in tropical regions, and mainly, therefore, in those very places, and 

 under those very conditions, where we find the possibility that the 

 laws of natural selection have been uninterruptedly at work for 

 long cycles of ages free from all disturbing influences. 



PRIZES. 



The Society has from time to time offered Prizes, open to the 

 whole School, for the promotion of habits of observation and the 

 encouragement of the study of various branches of Natural History 

 and Science. It has been greatly assisted in this object bv' the 

 liberality of some of its friends, who have supplemented the 

 resources of the Society applicable to this purpose by presents 

 of valuable microscopes and books. 



The following is a list of the prizes awarded between the pub- 

 lication of the first report and July, 1868. 



Sunimer Term, 1866. 



For the best collection of Butterflies and Moths from the 

 neighbourhood of Harrow, a prize of books awarded to A. J. 

 Latham. 



