7,yS THE PLACE OF MIMICRY 



Mimicr)' are seen in the Hies of the genus VoIuccUa^ , 

 \vhich are enabled to lay their eg^gs in the nests of 

 Humble-bees, &€., because of their close resemblance 

 to the latter. The larvae of the fly have been supposed 

 to {^(^(S. upon those of the bee. 



[The larvae of J'oli(ccl/a are probably scavengers, and 

 it is now known that the presence of the flies is not 

 resented. The resemblance is an example of ordinary 

 mimetic likeness to a forniidable model, and is rendered 

 all the more effective from the fact that fly and bee are 

 specially associated.^ Even in cases where Asilid flies 

 are beautiful mimics of their I lymenopterous victims'- it 

 is improbable that the resemblance is aggressive. The 

 explanation is probably similar to that offered in the case 

 of Volucclla. There is little doubt, however, that the 

 following exampjles are truly Pseudepisematic] 



Examples of Alluring Colouring. An Asiatic lizard 

 {^PJirynoccphahi^ viysfaccHs"^) possesses pink flower-like 

 structures at the corners of its mouth, and it is probable 

 that flies, &c. are thus allured. A Terrapin (A/acro- 

 clemmys temminckii'^) from the Southern States of 

 America, when hungry, opens its mouth and actively 

 moves the fllaments below the anterior end of its tongue. 

 These look like worms moving in a crevice in the rocks, 

 and attract l>rey. The animal is otherwise perfectly 

 motionless, and resembles a confc}'va-zo\^xQ.(S. rock. The 

 fish LopJiius piscatoriiis'^ (the Angler or P^ishing-Frog) 

 attracts its prey l)y a brightly coloured lure placed 

 over its large mouth, the rest of the body being 

 concealed. Certain deep-sea fishes allied to Lop/u'us, 

 {Ceraiias dispi}ios?is'^^ C. iiranoscopus^, &c.) have a 

 phosphorescent lure attractive to the other fish on 

 which they feed. 



[Examples are found among insects, in the flower-like 

 species of Majitidac which attract the other insects forming 

 their prey. The flower-like appearance is undoubtedly 

 Procryptic as well as Pseudepisematic."] 



* See Trans. Ent. Soc, Lond., 1904. pp. 663-5. 



' See ibid., pp. 661-5 J 1906, p. 378. 



' See K. Annandale, in Proc. Zoo!. Soc, Lofid., 1900, p. 837, for an 



