682 Mr. G. F. Leigh on Synepigonic series of 



of attention, inasmuch as it is possible that the shock of 

 abnormal conditions may have favoured slight reversion 

 to a relatively ancestral form. It has been similarly 

 observed that a set of abnormally small specimens of 

 Limnas chrysipp'us, var. dorippus ( = Idugii), from Macha- 

 kos Road, British East Africa, exhibited an unusual 

 amount of reversion towards the type form of the species 

 (Trans. Ent. Soc, 1902, p. 483). 



The very distinct di- and trimorphic forms of some of 

 the chief Ethiopian mimics of Limnas chrysipp^is v.ve still 

 connected by transitional varieties which have been lost 

 or are at any rate unrepresented in the primary model. 

 Hence it has been argued that "A Study of Mimetic Forms 

 may enable us to reconstruct the Lost Stages throiigh vjhich 

 the Older Model has passed" (Trans. Ent. Soc, 1902, 

 p. 482). In this case also it is seen that uninterrupted 

 transition obtains between the cenca forms of the female 

 mimic with white spots on tlie fore-wing and those with 

 buff. In the Danaine models, on the other hand, there is 

 a sharp break between the white-spotted Amatiris alho- 

 maeulata and the buff-spotted forms of A. echcria, and 

 even between the white and the buff varieties of the 

 latter species. It is in every way probable that here too 

 the transition which is witnessed in the younger mimic 

 formerly existed, but has finally disappeared in the older 

 model — viz. the two forms of Amauris ccheria. As regards 

 the origin and history of the differences between the two 

 species which act as models — viz. albomaculata and echeria 

 — the interpretation is at present less clear and convincing. 



It is unnecessary to describe the two hippocoonoides 

 forms of females. A glance at Plate XXXI, Figs. 7 and 8, 

 will show that the pattern is typical, although the size is 

 abnormally small, especially in one specimen (Fig. 7). 



A careful comparison of the male individuals in the 

 1902 synepigonic group leads to equally interesting re- 

 sults. In this investigation I have confined my attention 

 to the most distinctive feature of the pattern — the inner 

 black band of the hind-wing. It will be seen that this 

 marking is subject to remarkable individual variation 

 in naales of one family. At the same time it is the 

 character by which the males of certain forms of the 

 Papilio dardanus {meropc) group are usually discriminated. 

 It will be convenient to describe the appearance of the 

 band in the best-known forms, before proceeding to record 



