(| xxxvill_ ) 
widely distributed, why were they not universally imitated 
by unprotected insects? He did not think that sufficient 
proof had been given of the existence of protection. 
Sir Grorce Hampson, Bart.: In his personal experience 
in 8. India he had found that it was quite an exceptional 
thing to see birds catch, or even attempt to catch, butterflies, 
whilst it was a matter of daily occurrence to see them taking 
other insects, especially moths, ete., started from a position 
of rest. In the cases he had witnessed the Huplwe and 
Danaidae were caught as often as any others, but usually 
escaped eventually from the beak of the bird and flew away 
none the worse owing to the toughness of the integuments. 
The only bird he had observed frequently to pursue butter- 
flies was the common Indian Bee-eater, which he had seen 
hawking Pieride, and among them Teracolus, which Col. 
Swinhoe had expressly referred to as a protected genus. 
He thought the cause demanded by these theories was 
inadequate to produce the results assigned to it. 
The Hon. Watrer Roruscarip: It had struck him that it 
was much more conceivable that certain climatic influences, 
etc., had played a part in bringing about these resemblances, 
and he thought that these groups assumed the same appear- 
ance because one given influence was at work on them. 
Such a case as that of Papilio merope, and its various 
representative forms inhabiting Africa (except the Palearctic 
North part) and Madagascar were inexplicable by mimicry 
alone. This Papilio was monomorphic in Madagascar, the 
female being similar to the male both in colour and form of 
wings, while the representative found in Abyssinia had the 
hindwing tailed like the male, but possessed a decidedly 
‘‘mimetic’’ pattern. In this respect it resembled the female 
forms of 8. and W. Africa, which were, however, tailless. 
He contended that these geographical forms of Papilio merope 
had probably sprung up under the direct influence of the 
external conditions of the respective areas rather than in 
consequence of the direct selection of specimens with a more 
** mimetic” pattern. 
Canon Fowier: There was too much assumption about 
the current theories. 
