Caxe of Pap ilia Me rope. 145 



forewings, and in the total want of the apical spot in 

 those wings. 



The seven males present the customary amount of varia- 

 tion in the transverse black markings of the upperside of 

 the hindwings,— from three sub-quadrate discal blotches 

 to a continuous irregular bar, — and in these particular 

 markings no two of them nearly agree. It is the same 

 with the amount of black marking on the tails of the hind- 

 wings, Avhich varies from a simple median streak, with an 

 accompanying short suffused stripe bounding the basal 

 half of the tail interiorly, to a black space absorbing 

 almost the whole basal two-thirds of the tail. Four of 

 the seven specimens possess, more or less faintly, the 

 blackish line defining the 2nd disco-cellular nervule of the 

 forewings. 



Mr. Weale justly observes that the ochreons colouring 

 of the underside of the wings Avell serves to protect these 

 butterflies from observation when at rest among withered 

 foliage, and in this respect the males are, perhaps, from 

 their lighter-tinted under-surface, better protected than 

 the females. Mrs. Barber, at the beginning of the year 

 1871, was fortunate enough to observe this protective re- 

 semblance in nature, and sent me the following note on 

 the subject, viz. : — 



" I caught a fine Merope Avith my finger and thumb the 

 other day. It was just beginning to rain, and, thoygh it 

 M'as not late, Merope thought proper to seek a resting- 

 place, Avhich he wisely chose upon a shrub which resembled 

 his own underside colouring. It was a splendid match : — 

 when he closed his wings among the yellow and brown 

 seeds and flowers of the shrub, no bird Avould ever have 

 distinguished him. I had no net with me, and my first 

 attempt was a failure. However, the butterfly took a turn 

 round the neighbourhood, examined several other shrubs 

 (which he found were not so good, I suppose) and even- 

 tually returned to the same perch." * 



In relation to the protective miraetism so abundantly 

 exhibited by this remarkable species of Papilio, it is most 



* " I believe all butterflies act thus, where it is possible to match their 

 colours. Pyrameis Cardiil will alwaj's take a mottled stone or old 

 wall. I have, however, often seen Damns Cfu-ysippus perched at the 

 extremity of a tall rush or grass stem, where there was no colour resembling 

 his own.'but in this case he was jMissint/ himself off as a flower, and, I can 

 assure you, looked very like one ! " Mrs. Barber, in lift. 



TRANS. ENT. SOC. 1874. — PART I. (fEB.) L 



