234 THEORIES OF MIMICRY 



Xo theory except Natural Selection explains \vh\ the 

 number of colours and patterns in the dominant groups 

 of butterflies mentioned above are so few in relation to 

 the number of species, as was j)ointed out b\- Professor 

 Meldola. IvR.S., in his j)ai:)er Mi)?iiiry between Buttc}- 

 fiics of Protected Lienera} These colours and patterns 

 have been recently studied very carefully, especially in 

 the Itliot)ni)iae, by A. G. Mayer,-' who shows that * the 

 200 species of l\ipilio in South America display 36 

 distinct colors, while the 450 species of Danaoid Heli- 

 conidae \Itlioviiinac'\ exhibit onl) i 5. Hence the numbers 

 of the species and of the colors are almost in inverse ratio 

 ill the two groups. This may be explained by the fact, 

 that the Danaoid Heliconidae mimic one another, while 

 the Papilios do not. . . . There is no lack of individual 

 variability among the species of the Danaoid Heliconidae; 

 yet the species as a whole var}- but little from the two 

 great types of color-pattern represented by Melinaea and 

 Ithomia. In order to account for this remarkable fact 

 I am forced to resort to Fritz Muller's theory of mimicry.'^ 

 Again, on page 225 Mayer remarks : 'It is difficult to 

 account for the remarkable conservatism in respect to 

 color-variations among the Heliconidae [here used, as in 

 Bates's original paper, to include Danaifiae. Itho)}iii)iae, 

 and Helicoiinae^, unless we resort to the explanation 

 afforded b)- the theory of mimicr)' ; for, while there is 

 such remarkable simplicit)- and uniformity of color- 

 pattern throughout the whole group of the Heliconidae 

 individual variations are ver}- common.' 



It is not from any j)redisposition or bias in favour of 

 Natural Selection that these conclusions are reached, but 

 simpl\- because this theory offers an explanation of so 

 man)- remarkable facts which arc utterly meaningless 

 under any other theory yet brought forward. 



' Ann. and Mag. Aa/. //is/., 5L}j scr.. vol. x, Dec. 1882, p. 417. 

 ' Bulldin of I he ^/us. of Comp. Zool. at //arvard Coll.f Feb. 1897, 

 p. 167. 



^ 1. c. p. 229. 



