256 ROMANCE OF THE INSECT WORLD CHAP. 



favoured races of a distasteful property, which appeals 

 to widely-separated classes of insectivorous animals. 

 In a word the persecution of these butterflies seems to 

 have almost wholly ceased, so that the advantage 

 would be incalculable of being mistaken for them to 

 species less specially protected, and accustomed to be 

 devoured. That the mimickers need to protect 

 themselves is plainly evident, for while the mocked 

 forms abound, almost always in literal swarms, an 

 incontestable proof of their general exemption from 

 destruction, the mockers are often rare insects, and 



FIG. 52. Adult Caterpillar of the Large Elephant Hawk Moth (Chterocatnpa 

 elpenor) when undisturbed ; from Weismann. 



belong to rare groups, witness equally undeniable of 

 their habitual exposure to danger. The latter appear 

 to be really eatable, and elude their foes solely by 

 their counterfeit of the facies* of uneatable and well- 

 protected species of the same locality, an imitation 

 such as to deceive the eyes of predacious birds and 

 insects. 



It will be observed that Mimicry aims at the 

 acquisition of Warning Colours. True Mimicry is 

 quite distinct from all warning appearances, although 

 a gradual transition to it .from the latter may be 

 traced. In the close resemblance and imitation 



