PROTECTIVE MIMICRY 229 



from the monkey's actions, that they were distasteful 

 to him.' 1 



Mr. Belt, however, observed that a yellow and 

 black wasp caught these butterflies to store up in its 

 nest, and that the Heliconida were very wary when 

 the wasp was near, although quite fearless in the 

 presence of other enemies. They were also attacked 

 by a flower-haunting spider. These exceptions are 

 very interesting, because the unpleasant qualities of 

 such specially defended groups generally appeal with 

 success to the taste of animals from the most widely- 

 separated places in the animal kingdom. When certain 

 enemies are thus careless of the qualities which inspire 

 such general respect, it is probable that we witness a 

 result brought about in the first instance by the 

 excessive competition for food. In times of scarcity, 

 an^ individuals of a species which were able to 

 disregard the unpleasant taste, would be likely to 

 predominate over those with more delicate gustatory 

 susceptibilities. 



From Africa, Mr. Trimen quotes an observation of 

 Mr. Bowker upon a small Kaffrarian lizard which 

 pursues a peculiarly wary butterfly with the greatest 

 energy and persistence, while it neglects the inert and 

 abundant Acr&idce. Mr. Trimen has made similar 

 observations with regard to dragon-flies and Mantida, 

 both of which feed largely on butterflies, but were 

 never seen to touch an Acrcea or Danais.* 



1 Loc. cit. pp. 316, 317. Loc. cit. p. 500. 



