506 Mr. J. C. Moult(^R» some of the pnncipal Mimetic 



costal region, resulting from invasions of the orange-brown 

 ground colour. Tliis suggests the possible transition from 

 a special warning character or aposeme acquired by the 

 Porhyhris on the way from the ancestral Pierine white 

 towards this tawny and yellow, black-barred association. 

 SHght traces of this same feature are visible in the Dis- 

 niorpliia of this association ; and the character is strongly 

 marked in the female of Ferrliyhris malenka of the 

 Guatemala-Nicaragua Combination (see Plate XXX, 

 fig. IG). 



The most perfect resemblance between any two species 

 in the above table (in spite of the differently-coloured 

 apical spots) is that between Meliniea ethra and Heliconius 

 narc/va : the likeness is exceptionally strong. Mention 

 has been made already on p. 589 of the occurrence of a 

 marginal row of white s[)Ots in both Protogonius and 

 Lijcorea, and of the further indication of resemblance seen 

 in the buff-ochreous fore-wing markings which in these two 

 species replace the usual striking yellow. In spite of 

 the apical patch of P. drurii being white (while that 

 of L. Italia is ochreous) it seems probable that the 

 Lycorea is the chief model of the Nymphaline. 



The chief characteristic feature of this association — the 

 yellow hind-wing band — appears independently in Me- 

 chanitis lycidice of Guatemala, which has already been 

 shown to enter two of the Central American combina- 

 tions (see p. 587). Many specimens of a fine series in 

 the Hope Collection possess this yellow band in a well- 

 developed condition. In other numerous specimens it 

 is marked to a lesser degree, while in others again it 

 is entirely absent, as we should expect in a member of 

 the more northern combinations. 



We now pass from a warning pattern characteristic of 

 the country to the south of tlie Amazon mouths to a very 

 different type developed beside its upjier waters. 



