224 



ENTOMOLOGY 



Protective Mimicry. This interesting and highly involved 

 phenomenon is a special form of protective resemblance in 

 which one species imitates the appearance of another and 



FIG. 243. 



A, Anosia plexippus, the " model "; B, Basilarchia archippus, the " mimic." Natural size. 



better protected species, thereby sharing its immunity from 

 destruction. Though it attains its highest development in the 

 tropics, mimicry is well illustrated in temperate regions. A 

 familiar example is furnished by Basilarchia archippus (Fig. 

 243, B), which departs widely from the prevailing dark colora- 

 tion of its genus to imitate the milkweed butterfly, Anosia 



