500 Mr. G. A. K. Marshall on. 



such a large number of Lycvnidn;. Tlie Liptcninm are 

 probably a specially-protected group, and the rarity of 

 many of the species may be only apparent, and due to 

 their (Mlillerian) mimicry of extremely common forms for 

 which they are constantly mistaken by naturalists. 



In other parts of the world LyctvnidcX which are evidently 

 specially protected and extremely conspicuous are well 

 known, such as Talicada of the Oriental Region and 

 Eummus of the Neotropical. These genera do not enter 

 into synaposematic association with the best-defended 

 butterHies of their localities, but each adopts an aposematic 

 appearance peculiar to itself. It is probable that in the 

 Neotropical Region, where mimicry is more striking and 

 more fully exemplified than in an}^ other part of the world, 

 the habits of the Theclas are the chief obstacle to their use 

 of this means of protection. For models of all sizes abound 

 in this part of the world. On the other hand, in the 

 tropical East it may be the want of a sufficient number of 

 models of an appropriate size and habits which has acted as 

 the barrier. 



The explanation which has here been thrown out as a 

 suggestion may also enable us to understand the cases of 

 mimicry in Ethiopian Hespcridx, a family in which such 

 resemblances are rare. Here, however, the facts may be 

 paralleled in the Neotropical Region where there are a 

 few mimetic " skippers." Mimicry in this group and the 

 want of it in the Lyavnidw may follow from the difference 

 between the habits and stations of the tropical American 

 Hesperids and Theclas. 



K. Mimicry in the Nymphalin/a Batesian or Milllerian 1 



I have had much controversy with my friend Mr. 

 Marshall over this difficult and interesting problem, and I 

 propose to bring forward a resume of the arguments which 

 seem to support the latter interpretation as opposed to 

 the former, and then to quote his weighty objections and 

 the interesting observations of the iiabits of mimetic 

 species and genera which he has made. 



1. It is of interest although probably not of extreme 

 importance to reflect that all the great groups of un- 

 palatable, conspicuous, and much-miinieked butterflies 

 belong to the Nyinphalidfe — the Ithomiin/r, Danainx, 

 llidiconime, and Acrivlnie, and that the two latter are so 



