THE INSECT. 195 
Heliconius telesiphe ab. nivea, nov.—Forewing dull black with white 
markings. A central band (narrower than in telesiphe) wholly white 
and showing no trace of a spot below vein 2. Exteriorly the band is 
shaded with greyish. A white apical band shaded very slightly 
exteriorly with reddish colour. Width of apical band as in typical 
telesiphe. Hindwing dull black with white transverse central band as 
in typical telestphe. 
This form is apparently exceedingly rare. Frequently in telesiphe 
there is a small white spot at the commencement of the apical band 
on the costa, but hitherto transitional forms have not been detected. 
Habitat.—Peru. 
In the collection of the late Mr. H. J. Adams, which is now with 
the National collection. 
The Insect. 
[Probably the following extract from a work by a well known public official, 
stands unique for its concentrated venom.—H.J.T.] 
«« And now we come to the consideration of the last class of ani- 
mated beings of which it is necessary to treat—the insects: that class 
which seems to have been created for an almost wholly evil purpose. 
“Tf the old idea still prevailed that the evil principle was personi- 
fied by a fallen deity, one might well imagine that the class of insects 
was his contribution to the life of this planet. 
“This idea certainly prevailed among the Semitic peoples of 
antiquity, who called Beelzebub ‘ the king of the Flies.’ 
“From the point of view of man and most other mammals, insects 
are the one class among their fellow creatures which are uniformly 
hostile and noxious. 
« And this feeling that they were to be combated as the enemies of 
creation seems to have perpetually actuated the development of group 
after group of new creatures to prey on insects. 
_ Fish crawled out of the water to pursue primeval insects and 
became amphibians. . 
“Amphibians developed into reptiles and into mammals in the 
same pursuit, reptiles gave birth to pterodactyls and to birds, so that 
this hated Arthropod might be followed through the air; and mammals 
for the same end took to flight in the form of bats. 
“Birds, almost more than any other class, have nobly devoted 
themselves to keeping down insects, and for this reason among many 
others deserve the gratitude and support of humanity, to whom the 
insect tribe is almost more repellant and more hurtful than it is to less 
sensitive beings. 
“Mr. H. G. Wells, in his interesting book of imaginative foresight, 
The Time Machine, has hinted at the awful development of insects 
which might ensue when these checks to their expansion were 
removed. 
‘‘When one reads of the many windmills at which philanthropy 
wastes its time in tilting, one longs for some Peter the Hermit of 
Science to arise and preach a crusade against insects. 
“With the doubtful exception of the bee (and honey now-a-days 
can be made artificially—is made artificially whether we like it or no) 
