58S Mr. J. C. Moulton on some of the principal Mimetic 



It will be seen from the accompanying Plate XXX that 

 the general pattern of this association consists of a con- 

 spicuous light brown (fulvous) ground colour, crossed by 

 parallel black bands and oblique bars, the apex of the 

 fore- wing being relieved by two yellow bars between the 

 last-mentioned black markings. While it is apparent 

 that all the members of this association have gradually 

 become drawn together into one general pattern, we can 

 also clearly see how single constituent species have fol- 

 lowed others in minor characteristics. A specially 

 remarkable illustration of this is afforded by the strong 

 resemblance between MeliniBa imitata (Figs. 1 and 2) and 

 Heliconius telchinia (Figs. 9 and 10), Here, the broken 

 yellow sub-apical bands of the Melinxa are closely fol- 

 lowed by those of the Heliconius. On the under side of 

 the fore-wing, an irregular series of white spots appears 

 along the hind margin of the Melinma, and similar spots 

 are present although very faintly developed and more 

 marginally placed along the anal portion of the hind 

 margin in the Heliconius. The same likeness is found 

 along the hind margin of the hind-wing, where however 

 the usual radiating white streaks of the Heliconius are 

 shortened into a rough resemblance to the rounded or oval 

 spots of the Melintea.^ 



The exceptionally close resemblance between two such 

 widely different genera as Alclinma and Heliconius, as 

 exemplified by M. imitata and H. telchinia, affords a good 

 instance of the entire independence of affinity and mimicry, 

 as Professor Poulton points out in " Essays on Evolution," 

 1908, p. 235. Thus two Ithomiine genera {Mechanitis and 

 Geratinia), with four different species (including M. lycidice), 

 bear a general likeness to the Mcliniea pattern, and yet 

 none of them afford nearly so close a resemblance as that 

 exliibited by the Heliconius. Hence the Ithomiine genus 

 Melinma. is far more closely resembled by its Heliconine 

 mimic belonging to a very different sub-family, than by 

 any Ithomiine which contributes a member to the associa- 

 tion. Similarly the Heliconius bears a much closer likeness 

 to the Ithomiine model than to the nearly allied Eueides. 



My attention was directed by Professor Poulton to the 



fact that the second Heliconine of this association, Eueides 



zorcaon (Figs. 11 and 12), also presents in one special 



detail a resemblance to the Danaine, Lyeorea atergatis 



* See Poulton, "Essays on Evolution," 1908, p. 350. 



