Mimetic Patterns to the Original Form. 69 



all but reached the complete mimetic conditiou of 

 M. ]?yrrka 9 (Figs. 9, 10), The only thing still wanting 

 is an infusion of more or less brownish red into the pale 

 yellow or orange of the costal and central streaks. It is 

 observable that even in the female M. pyrrha the assi- 

 milation between the old red of the basal patch and the 

 new red of the costal and central areas is not quite per- 

 fect, the former always retaining on the under surface a 

 more vigorous and decided tint than the latter (see 

 Yig.9,e,cd,f). 



With regard to the forewing, there is no doubt a con- 

 siderable interval between the male and female of 

 M. pyrrha. An inspection, however, of the female of 

 M. lorena and M. malenka (Figs. 6, 7, 8), enables us to 

 see how it may be bridged over. Comparing the sexes 

 of ill. lorena (Figs. 4, 6, 7), we find that their patterns 

 are identical in the main features, though the female has 

 an additional dark streak in the forewing (I) running 

 parallel with the inner border. The central pale area of 

 the hindwing has also in the female almost or entirely 

 disappeared from the lower surface, while the other 

 spaces on both wings which in the male are white or 

 very pale yellow, assume in the female a deeper yellow, 

 Avarming towards the base of the wing to an orange or 

 brownish red. These changes, comparatively slight as 

 they are, are sufficient to give the female M. lorena, a 

 decidedly Heliconine aspect. They point out, moreover, 

 the manner in which the still more completely Heliconine 

 facies of M. malenha 9 (Fig. 8) and if. pyrrha ? 

 (Figs. 9, 10) may grow naturally out of the Pierine 

 materials already noticed. A very close comparison of 

 M. pyrrha with H. numata (Figs. 10, 11) will indeed 

 show that the correspondence of markings is not abso- 

 lutely perfect in every particular ; nevertheless, the 

 general effect is marvellously alike, and if assisted by 

 similarity in habits and mode of flight, must be amply 

 sufficient for all practical purposes of protection to the 

 MylotJiris. 



Looking at this series as a whole, and bearing in mind 

 that it would be possible to include other forms * which 

 would render the gradation still easier than is shown 



** For example, P. marana and M. lypera % . 



