148 Dr. H. Eltringham on the genus Heliconius. 



is merely negative evidence of its non-occurrence. In the 

 case of the " meljpomene " pattern (No. 1) forms of Sec- 

 tion I are accompanied by forms of Section II in seven out 

 of ten localities. Applying the same method of analysis 

 to the first four selected patterns, we find that of twenty- 

 four occurrences of such patterns appertaining to members 

 of Section I, twenty-one are accompanied by corresponding 

 patterns in members of Section II. The fifth pattern 

 occurs only in members of Section II, and in this case no 

 species occurs without another which resembles it, whilst 

 in Ecuador no less than four species having this coloration 

 form an interesting group. 



In the light of present information there seems little 

 more to be said with reference to these resemblances. 

 That the genus Heliconius contains only some thirty good 

 species instead of about seventy is not a very surprising 

 conclusion in view of the methods hitherto adopted in 

 species determination, and the fact that probably no other 

 genus of Lepidoptera exhibits so great an instability of 

 pattern. The remarkable varietal and mimetic pheno- 

 mena exhibited by the two sections of the genus provide, 

 however, a field of valuable research, calling for an 

 experimenter who can carry out in S. America the class 

 of work we inevitably associate with the names of Marshall, 

 Sywnnerton, Lamborn, and Carpenter in Africa. 



Explanation op Plates XI-XVII. 



[See Explanations facing the Plates.] 



