370 



THE PLACE OF MIMICRY 



Thus the dark, stick-like BroitJiidac seem to possess a 

 marked Procryptic appearance when examined in the 

 cabinet, but Mr. Sheh'ord tells me that they are very 

 commonly found on (lowers where they are most con- 

 spicuous. Mr. Marshall also states that the large black 

 African weevils move slowly, and are freely exposed, so 

 that the)-, too, must be visible from a great distance. 

 The examples in which the models appear to be un- 

 doul)tcdl)- Procryptic are probably to be explained by the 

 peculiar character of the defence. Hardness would not 

 avail * against an enem)- large enough to swallow the 

 beetle whole, so that it could be ground down in the 

 gizzard, or the interior slowly extracted by digestive 

 fluids gaining access by the joints and other apertures. 

 Defence by a sting, a nauseous taste or smell, or 

 unwholesome qualities, is effective against enemies of all 

 sizes and all degrees of strength, although failing against 

 occasional specially adapted foes. It is possible that 

 these considerations may enable us to understand why 

 it is that certain Rhynchophora are remarkable among 

 Coleoptera for combining a cryptic colouring with sufficient 

 immunity to render them feasible models for mimicry'.^ 



9. Butterflies and Jllot/is, eliiefly Oriental, Selected in 

 1890 to Illustrate Various Aspects 0/ Illifnicry. — Almost 

 all of the following species, shown as examples of Mimicry 

 at the Lecture to the British Association in 1S90, would now 

 be looked upon as instances of Mullerian (Synaposemalic) 

 Resemblance. The entire list is, however, reprinted in 

 this place in order to direct attention to the recent change 

 in interpretation. The examples were selected — except' 

 in one important series of related forms, viz. Papilio dar-^ 

 danus [vicrope), its sub-species and allies — from Oriental 

 Lepidoptera. The examples of Mimicry hitherto brought' 

 forward in this work are principall)- South American andj 

 Ethiopian, so that it may be useful to direct attention to 

 a brief list of mimetic species from the East, especially! 

 when they have been chosen in order to illustrate the 

 various degrees of complexity with which these superficial 

 resemblances are attained. 



^ Trans. Ent. Suc.^ Lond.^ 1902, p. 523. 



