98 THE EVOLUTION THEORY 



Thus I'i'l'lHi; says that in tlie primitive forests one can easily 

 rocoi^nizo the phiee wliieh lias been selected by one of the Jacaniars 

 (Gall)uliila>) as its favourite restinf]^-place, for the wings of the largest 

 ami most beautiful butterflies, whose bodies alone are eaten, lie on 

 the grouml in a circle for a distance of several paces. We owe direct 

 observations on the hunting of insects by birds of the primitive forest 

 especially to Dr. Hahnel, who found many opportunities for observa- 

 tion in the course of his enthusiastic collecting journej^s in Central 

 and South America. He writes : ' No other family of butterflies 

 suffered so much from birds as the Pierida3 ( Whites), and these free- 

 booters often snapped away the prettiest and freshest specimens 

 from quite close to me. Every time I was amazed anew at the 

 unfailing security of their flight, and I gladly paid for the spectacle 

 by the loss of a few specimens.' Of the pursuit of one of the large 

 Caligo species, whose leaf -like under surface, marked with eye -spots, 

 I have already described. (Fig. 6, p. 70), he says : ' With incredible 

 skill this fairly large insect avoided every blow of the bill of the bird 

 M-hich followed it in close chase, and saved itself by flying from one 

 shrub to another, till at last it was lost to sight in the thickest tangle 

 of branches, and the exhausted bird gave up further attem])ts at 

 pursuit.' 



But, in addition to the birds, the butterflies of the primitive 

 forest have to dread the persecution of other insects, especially of the 

 large predaeeous dragon-flies, which throw themselves upon them in 

 the midst of their flight. Hahnel often saw a specimen of the large, 

 beautiful, blue Morpho cisseis, which was fluttering peacefully about 

 the crown of a tree, suddenly shoot head downwards, ' like an ox 

 with horns lowered, and then reascended apparently with difficulty, 

 after it had torn itself free from its sudden assailant, whose jaws 

 left distinct short scars.' 



In addition to birds and predatory insects the butterflies are 

 persecuted by the whole army of lizards. In order to entice the 

 butterflies, Hahnel laid bait in the wood, 'sugar-cane, little sweet 

 bananas, and such like.' Various kinds of butterfly settled on it, 

 'Satyrides, Ageronia3, Adelpha and other Nymphalida3.' He saw 

 that they ' were persistently stalked and attacked by greedy lizards, 

 which, in spite of their plump figure and uncouth gait, showed 

 themselves able to spring suddenly out and snatch their prey with 

 great adroitness. It is, however, very wonderful to see the agility 

 such a persecuted insect displays in evading the repeated attacks of 

 these marauders.' Thus on one occasion an AdelpJat was driven off" 

 a dozen times from the exposed bait by a lizard, which pounced upon 



