RESEMBLANCES AMONG ANIMALS. 79 
the same species. In the case of the Heliconide, how- 
ever, we have some direct evidence to the same effect. 
In the Brazilian forests there are great numbers of in- 
sectivorous birds—as jacamars, trogons, and puffbirds 
—which catch insects on the wing, and that they de-. 
stroy many butterflies is indicated by the fact that the 
wings of these insects are often found on the ground 
where their bodies have been devoured. But among 
these there are no wings of Heliconide, while those 
of the large showy Nymphalide, which have a much 
swifter flight, are often met with. Again, a gentleman 
who had recently returned from Brazil stated at a meet- 
ing of the Entomological Society that he once observed 
a pair of puffbirds -catching butterflies, which they 
brought to their nest to feed their young; yet during 
half an hour they never brought one of the Heliconide, 
which were flying lazily about in great numbers, and 
which they could have captured more easily than any 
others. It was this circumstance that led Mr. Belt to 
observe them so long, as he could not understand why 
the most common insects should be altogether passed 
by. Mr. Bates also tells us that he never saw them 
molested by lizards or predacious flies, which often 
pounce on other butterflies. 
If, therefore, we accept it as highly probable (if not 
proved) that the Heliconide are very greatly protected 
from attack by their peculiar odour and taste, we find it 
much more easy to understand their chief characteristics 
—their great abundance, ‘their slow flight, their gaudy 
colours, and the entire absence of protective tints on 
