262 ROMANCE OF THE INSECT WORLD CHAP. 



mimickers are very frequently only females, the males 

 retain more or less the appearance of their immediate 

 congeners. In several species of South American 

 mimetic ' Whites ' (Pieridce], the males are plain 

 white and black, or a portion of the wings is so 

 coloured, it is the females that present rich black and 

 red and yellow hues, barred and spotted to resemble 

 the Heliconidae. These mimicking females some- 

 times associate with the abundant Heliconidae in the 

 shades of the forest, their white males frequent open 

 sunny spots, assembling much with other white and 

 yellow butterflies by the river banks. The superiority 

 of the female in the acquisition of mimetic tints Dr. 

 Wallace ascribes to her greater need for protection 

 than the other sex. Her slower flight, the necessity 

 for her existence until she has sought for a place of 

 safety wherein to lay her eggs, during which time the 

 prolonged life of the male is of no consequence to the 

 continuance of the race all point to the comparative 

 higher importance of the female insect, and her claim 

 to defence. 



Granting this interpretation we obtain strong con- 

 firmation of the theory of Mimicry as offered by Mr. 

 Bates, and wonderful support to the argument that 

 the phenomenon is brought about by natural selection. 

 Of the two sexes we have seen that one requires pro- 

 tection most, in many cases it is that one which 

 mimics the protected forms, while the other whose 

 need is less is frequently non-mimetic. It is therefore 

 clear that Mimicry has arisen through necessity for 

 protection, and this explanation favours the claim 

 that Mimicry is produced by natural selection. 



