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Mimetic relation between Colaenis telesiphe, Hew., 

 Heliconius telesiphe, Doubl., and Pereute antodyca, 

 Boisd. — Dr. F. A. Dixey exhibited specimens of the genera 

 Colaenis, Heliconms and Pereute, remarking upon them as 

 follows : — 



" In his recently-published ' Essays on Evolution,' Prof. 

 Poulton has drawn attention to the close resemblance between 

 the Nymphaline Colaenis telesiphe, Hew., and the Heliconine 

 H. telesiphe, Doubl. He notes il. c, p. 334) that the Colaenis 

 has departed widely from the usual aspect of its genus, while 

 the Heliconius is not far removed in appearance from many 

 of its nearest allies. On these grounds, which are well illus- 

 trated by the specimens of both genera here exhibited, we 

 must, as he says, consider C. telesiphe the mimic and H. 

 telesiphe the model. But, as Prof. Poulton further remarks, 

 there is evidence that the Colaenis is the commoner insect of 

 the two ; and this circumstance, reinforced by F. Miiller's 

 observation of stink-glands in Colaenis, favours the Miillerian 

 interpretation of the relation between these insects. 



" Accepting Prof. Poulton's view of the case, which indeed 

 it would be very difficult with our present knowledge to 

 controvei-t, I wish to draw attention to another fact, which 

 also can easily be verified by reference to the present specimens. 

 This is that whereas the upper and under surfaces of the 

 Heliconius are much alike and both aposematic, the under side 

 of the Colaenis differs from its upper surface in being strongly 

 cryptic, especially in the normal position of rest. If then the 

 relation between these two forms is really Miillerian, we 

 have here an instance of a distasteful butterfly cryptically 

 coloured beneath; an instance in some respects comparable 

 with the well-known cases of Protogonius, Elymnias and 

 Eronia leda. These forms are nearly all mimetic above and 

 cryptic beneath ; and while there exists more or less reason 

 for considering them to be at any rate relatively distasteful 

 (see Poulton, I. c, pp. 350-354), the evidence of unpalatability 

 in the present instance is perhaps stronger still. 



" A further point of interest is the resemblance between 

 the under side of H. telesiphe and that of the Pierine Pereute 

 antodyca, Boisd. $ . There can be little doubt that the under 



