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III. On the phylogenetic significance of the wing-markings 

 in certain genera o/^/je Nymphalidfe. By Feedeeick 

 A. DixEY, M.A., M.B., Fellow of Wadliam College, 

 and Demonstrator in the University Museum, 

 Oxford. 



[Read February 5th, 1890.J 



Plates I., II. & III. 



Everyone who has paid any attention to the perfect 

 insects of the genus Vanessa and allied forms, must 

 have been struck with the great general resemblance 

 that exists between them in respect of their wing- 

 markings.* In the investigation of which I now present 

 the results, my first object has been to ascertain the 

 exact extent of this resemblance by analysing the wing- 

 patterns and reducing their constituent markings to a 

 system ; from this I have been led to search for homo- 

 logues of the markings in certain other members of the 

 family NymphalidiV, and finally to use the interesting 

 conclusions thus arrived at in an attempt to sketch the 

 outline of a phylogeny for insects of the genera 

 examined. 



I need hardly point out that facts of the kind here 

 dealt with, relating, that is to say, entirely to certain 

 special external characters of adult forms, constitute 

 only one kind of phylogenetic evidence out of many that 

 could be brought ; and that conclusions resting on them, 

 though valuable as contributions towards the settle- 

 ment of the question of kinship, must not be held to be 

 final unless they are corroborated by the result of other 

 lines of enquiry — especially those relating to the onto- 

 geny of the various species concerned, and to their 

 distribution in space and time. 



■•' See a note in Weismann's ' Studies in the Theory of Descent' 

 (EngHsh Edition, 1882, vol. ii., p. 447), by Prof. Meklola, who 

 observes, " The genus Vanessa (in the wide sense) appears to be in 

 a remarkable condition of what may be called phyletic preserva- 

 tion." 



