PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



February 12, 1877. 

 Peof. Clerk Maxwell, President, in the chair. 



The following communication was made to the Society: 



Mr Neville Goodman, M.A., On a striking instance of Mimicry, 

 with some notes on the phenomenon of Protective Resemblance. 



Havinq been for some years acquainted with a fine and well- 

 known species of hornet (Vespa orientalis), and having taken and 

 preserved several specimens from Sicily, Egypt, and Syria, in all 

 which countries it is very abundant, I observed many of these 

 hornets flying about in the neighbourhood of the Pools of Solomon 

 on the W. side of Bethlehem, on the 29th May, 1876. These are 

 so common in Egypt, where I had been spending the previous four 

 months — the ruined temples of Upper Egypt being a favourite 

 habitat — that I neglected them, and with them should have neg- 

 lected the large (Laphria) fly, which so exactly resembles them that 

 on the wing they are not distinguishable, if I had not chanced to 

 look closely at one of these latter while in repose, I then cap- 

 tured several of these, and also several of the Vespse in this same 

 locality. After that I noted that both species were to be found 

 in many other localities in Palestine. 



Both the Yespa and the Laphria are highly predatory in their 

 habits, and both are found abundantly in hollows sheltered from 

 the wind and occupied by bushes and flowers where small flies 

 abound. The Laphrige seem confined to such localities, while the 

 Yespse, having a more general diet and needing to frequent places 

 suited to their nidification and the collection of materials for that 

 purpose, are seen in almost all kinds of places. 



The points of resemblance are the following. They are for the 

 most part confined to a similitude of colour, size, and shape; 

 though the habits of the imitating species present some pecu- 

 liarities which look like adaptations for the sake of resemblance. 



In the Yespa, which is the imitated species, the clipeus and 

 forehead above it is bright yellow. The eyes are dark brown, and 



Yol. III. Pt. ii. 3 



