Mimicry Among Animals 



in a butterfly which I have ever seen, is that of 

 the common Indian Kallima inachis, and iis 

 Malayan ally, Kallima paralekta. The upper 

 surface of these insects is very striking and 

 showy, as they are of a large size, and are ad< irned 

 with a broad band of rich orange on a deep 

 bluish ground. The under side is very variable 

 in colour, so that out of fifty specimens no two 

 can be found exactly alike, but every oi 

 them will be of some shade of ash or brown or 

 ochre, such as are found among dead, dry or 

 decaying leaves. The apex of the upper wings 

 is produced into an acute point, a very common 

 form in the leaves of tropical shrubs and trees, 

 and the lower wings are also produced into a 

 short, narrow tail. Between these two points 

 runs a dark curved line exactly representing 

 the midrib of a leaf, and from this radiate on 

 each side a few oblique lines, which serve to 

 indicate the lateral veins of a leaf. These marks 

 are more clearly seen on the outer portion of 

 the base of the wings, and on the inner side 

 towards the middle and apex, and it is very 

 curious to observe how the usual marginal and 

 transverse stria? of the group are here modified 

 and strengthened so as to become adapted 

 for an imitation of the venation of a leaf. We 

 come now to a still more extraordinary part of 

 the imitation, for we find representations of leaves 

 in every stage of decay, variously blotched 

 and mildewed and pierced with powdery black 

 dots gathered into patches and spots, so closely 

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