650 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXVII. 



insects. Red Orange yellow with black are believed to b e common warning 

 colours. Now it is found that other edible insects ' copy ' the markings 

 of warning coloured insects. Examples were shown of a wasp, which is 

 protected by its sting, exactly copied in its colour, shape and markings by 

 a harmless fly, and a similar instance is exemplilied in the close resemblance 

 of a certain moth to a stinging bee. Then we find a number of edible 

 insects closely copying the colouring of inedible species. An example of this 

 is shown in the Danaid butterflies which are known to be distasteful. We 

 fliid the colour and markings of these butterflies exactly copied by a whole 

 range of different species which bear a closer resemblance to Danaid 

 butterflies than they do to insects of their own stock. This type of mimicry 

 is known as Batesian Mimicry. Females would appear to be cleverer mimics 

 than males. The female purple Emperor Butterfly {Hypolimnas missijpus) 

 closely imitates the colouring of a Danaid while the male retains the 

 distinctive colouring of its own species. Now the male is a quick flying 

 insect and is able to look after itself ; the female on the other hand is a slow 

 flying creature and when egg laden may be easily captured. Another form of 

 mimicry is known as MuUerian Mimicry from the theories advanced by Fritz 

 Muller, namely the adoption of a general scheme of warning colours by edible 

 as well as inedible insects occurring in one localitj^. Examples are shown in the 

 similar colouring patteriiin the wings of different species of Danaids and certain 

 Papilio butterflies which fly together in South India. The Danaids are dis- 

 tasteful Avhile the Papilios are edible and if the Danaids are sufficiently numer- 

 ous their enemies Avould associate their colouring with an unpleasant taste and 

 so avoid the Papilios as well. In advancing theories of this description it must 

 be remembered that conclusions of this nature can only be arrived at from 

 observation in the field. An insect mimicing a distasteful insect may not 

 have the same distribution as its model and impressions received from a 

 comparison of Museum specimens have led to considerable confusion. 



It is not suggested that an insect deliberately changes its colour but the 

 theories of how one insect comes to mimic another have been explained by 

 many authors indifferent Avays. The key to the mystery may perhaps be found 

 in Darwin's theory of variations and the survival of the fittest. If one of the 

 various colour forms of an edible species of butterfly closely approximated the 

 colour of an unpleasant species it is easy to assume that this inedible species 

 would secure immunity from an attack while the other forms without this 

 advantage would suffer. Some of its progeny would probably have the same 

 colouring and Avould in turn have the greater chance of escape and so from genera- 

 tion to generation the protected form would increase till it completely supplanted 

 other forms of this species. 



Lastly insects are believed to escape by startling and frightening their ene- 

 mies. An example of this has been quoted in the weird resemblance in the 

 eye-spots on the wings of a silk moth sitting among leaves, to the head of an 

 owl, a similar parallel has been drawn in the likeness of the apex of its wings to 

 the head of a snake. 



The various theories advanced in connection Avith Avarning colours and mimi- 

 cry, may in many instances be quite effective and in others be entirely mis- 

 represented by us, but it behoves the student to approach the subject Avith an 

 open mind Avithout blinding himself to facts in exaggerating anything, but by 

 actual notes and observations in the field to strive after a solution of the truth. 



