212 THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT 



dark lines thus formed will meet in the middle of 

 the areas between the veins, producing a band of 

 scallops." But all the lighter-colored and more 

 brilliant spots he would derive from modifications 

 in the extent and intensity of the ground-color, 

 or, as he afterward terms it, the " blush." 



It will hardly be worth while to follow his line 

 of argument ; for, plausible and simple as this 

 hypothesis appears at first glance, it is unsatisfac- 

 tory. An examination of an extensive series of 

 specimens and illustrations convinces me that an 

 even simpler explanation can be given, in which 

 the darker and lighter markings have a common 

 origin. Moreover there are definite objections to 

 Mr. Higgins' theory. Its basis, that the scales 

 next the veins would have a freer development of 

 pigmentary matter within them, although per- 

 haps true, is a pure assumption, to support which 

 no facts are given. His observations are drawn 

 wholly from butterflies, with no reference to the 

 ornamentation of moths, which naturally would 

 give some clue to the previous simpler condition 

 of butterflies, and finally, if the earliest form of 

 ornamentation were linear markings on a pale 

 ground, from which the scalloped bands were de- 

 rived, we ought now to find, as one form of varia- 

 tion, transverse series of dark spots seated on the 

 veins ; actually, however, while transverse series 

 of dark spots are, next to cross-bands, the very 



