( 471 ) 



\^V An Account of some Experiments on the Udibility of 

 i ' certain Lepidopievons Larvae. By H. Eltringham, 



M.A., F.Z.S. 



[Read October 6th, 1909.] 



vm a considerable period, following on the first enuncia- 

 Von of the theories of Batesian and Mullenan rninucry 

 !nd common warning colours, the criticism that the e 

 theories were based on small practical evidence was to 

 !ome extent justified. Such criticism, however, did not 

 in any way invalidate the theories m question. It had 

 lo the highly salutary effect of acting as a stimulus not 

 ^nly to t^e^pholders but also to the opponents of these 

 heor es, to carry out practical experiments with a view 

 to obTaining actual evidence bearing on some of the pomts 



'""'lUs't matter of common knowledge amongst those who 

 have studied these subjects, that the experiments which 

 have b en recorded all tend to support the now wel -known 

 theories of mimicry which had their origin m the celebrated 

 amur^ents published nearly fifty years ago by Mr. H. W. 

 Bater Amongst the many points to be elucidated, one 

 S the -ost important was the proof of tbe compan.,tive 

 inedibility of nAny insects. For much valuable evidence 

 on this head we are indebted to the experiments of Mr. 

 Senner Weir, Mr. A. G. Butler, Prof. Weismann, Mr. F. 

 Finn and especially to those of Prof. Poulton and Mr. 

 G a' K. MaiXll, and it can no longer be said with justice 

 t^i"aT'the hypothesis of the comparative distastefulness 

 of mostwaraingly coloured insects rests on msufficient 



Arising out of the foregoing experiments one of the 

 resul obtained by Prof. Poulton* was as interesting as 

 H was unexpected. Whilst in accordance with anticipa- 

 torwa'nngly coloured larvae were found to be distastetul, 

 and 'cryptic larvae edible, one instance was discovered m 

 which a^larva (that oi Mania typica), though exceedingly 



* -D 7nn1 ^oc 1887 Experimental Proof of the Value of 



Coio^r^naXklngs fn 'insecL in Reference to their Vertebrate 



Enemies. , ^^ v 



TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1909.-PART IV. (DEC.) 



I I 



