214 A NATURALIST IN BORNEO 



be too late, for the butterfly would be dead ; in fact, 

 it would forfeit its life for aping the wing-pattern of a 

 palatable species, and its protectively coloured under- 

 side would be simply a source of danger to it. Batesian 

 mimicry is a far less efficient means of safety to a 

 butterfly than distasteful properties associated, as they 

 always are, with conspicuous colouring and such 

 toughness of integuments that they withstand all but 

 the most determined onslaughts. Batesian mimics are 

 comparatively rare and isolated species, whereas dis- 

 tasteful species are extraordinarily abundant not only 

 in species but in individuals. 



By those who hold that a cryptic under side is no 

 criterion of palatable properties it will be urged that 

 Elymnias lais has two kinds of defence its distasteful 

 properties causing it to be a Miillerian mimic, and its 

 cryptic under-surface colouring. But it must be remem- 

 bered that distasteful properties are no protection at 

 all unless sufficiently advertised. Careful observation 

 of the living insects is worth any amount of arm-chair 

 theorizing, however ingenious, and those who are 

 thoroughly familiar with the habits of such groups of 

 nauseous butterflies as the Danaince and Acrceince some- 

 times find it a little difficult to accept the views of 

 men who perhaps have never seen a tropical butterfly 

 alive. 



Feeding experiments with captive mammals, birds, 

 reptiles, and amphibians have only a limited value. 

 In many cases the captive is either sulky from recent 

 capture and will refuse to eat, or is so bored with a 

 long captivity and monotonous diet that it will devour 

 anything offered to it. I have seen captive Macaques, 

 fed for months on bananas and rice, devour with 



