x] MEMOIR. 
“ Amongst the living objects mimicked by insects are the preda- 
ceous species from which it is the interest of the mimickers to 
be concealed. Thus, the species of Scaphura (a genus of crickets) 
in South America resemble in a wonderful manner different sand 
wasps of large size, which are constantly on the search for crickets 
to provision their nests with. Another pretty cricket, which I 
observed, was a good imitation of a tiger beetle, and was always 
found on trees frequented by the beetles (odontocheile). There are 
endless instances of predaceous insects being disguised by having 
similar shapes and colours to those of their prey ; many spiders are 
thus endowed ; but some hunting spiders mimic flower-buds, and 
station themselves motionless in the axils of leaves and other parts 
of plants to wait for their victims. 
“The most extraordinary instance of imitation 1 ever met with 
was that of a very large caterpillar, which stretched itself from amidst 
the foliage of a tree which I was one dayiexamining, and startled 
me by its resemblance to a small snake. The first three segments 
behind the head were dilatable at the will of the insect, and had on 
each side a large black pupillated spot, which resembled the eye of 
the reptile ; it was a poisonous or viperine species mimicked, and 
not an innocuous or colubrine snake ; this was proved by the imita- 
tion of keeled scales on the crown, which was produced by the 
recumbent feet, as the caterpillar threw itself backwards. The Rev. 
Joseph Greene, to whom 1 gave a description, supposes the insect to 
have belonged to the family (Votodontide, many of which have the 
habit of thus bending themselves. I carried off the caterpillar and 
alarmed every one in the village where I was then living to whom 
I showed it. It unfortunately died before reaching the adult 
state. 
“ A similar series of mimetic analogies occurs in the Old World, 
between the Asiatic and African Danaide, or representatives of the 
Fleliconid@, and species of other families of butterflies and moths. 
No instance is known in these families of a tropical species of one 
hemisphere counterfeiting a form belonging to the other. A most 
remarkable case of mimicry has been recorded by Mr. Trimen ina 
Papilio of South Africa (P. Cenea), whose male wears to deception 
the livery of one species of Danazs, whilst the female resembles a 
quite different one. Mimetic analogies, however, are not confined 
to the Lepidoptera ; most orders of insects supply them ; but they 
are displayed only by certain families. Many instances are known 
where parasitic bees and two-winged flies mimic in dress various 

