RHOPALO CERA MALAY* 



169 



To add to the reasonableness of this explanation we have the following cumulative evidence: — 

 In Eastern Africa and South-Western Asia an allied species to Danais clmjsippus is found — 

 the D, dorippuSf King — and here we find also a close \y -allied species to, or a local race of, 

 Hijpolinwas misippus, — the B. intiria, Cram., — the female of which is a close mimic of Klug's 

 Danaid.* And quite recently Mr* Butler has described, + from the Victoria Njanza, another 

 species of the genus, under the name of H. alcippokkx, which is a mimic of the African 

 Jhimtis alcippus. 



Hypolimnas anomala. 



Diadem anomala, Wallace, Trans. Ent. Soc. 1 BGft, p. 285, u. 15. 



The species is only known to me by Mr. "Wallace's description : — 

 H Mate. Form of IX Antihpe, rather smaller." 



"Above; bronzy or olive-brown, with a blue gloss on the costal and outer margins of the anterior 

 wings, and the outer part of the bind wings paler, A row of white round spots parallel to the outer margin 

 as m IK Aniitope, but larger and more distinct; a band of three white or bluish-white marts, sometimes 

 very indistinct, across the anterior wings beyond the middle ; marginal and subraarginal spots as in 

 D. AnMlope. Beneath; olive-brown, spots and markings as above, with one additional white spot on the 

 costal margin."' 



" Ft and*. Above; rich purple-brown, the whole surface of the upper wings, except the basal third, 

 richly glossed with satiny blue; a transverse baud of three bluiah elongate spots beyond the cell, and a 

 fourth much smaller ; the two white spots of the Intra -marginal band nearest the costa large and confluent, 

 while those nearest the anal angle are small and indistinct. Beneath ; as in male/ 1 



Hah. — Malay Peninsula; " Malacca' 1 (<? I. — " Java" ( J ) (coll. Wallace). 



* A closely allied species or race of H. minipyux has recently been ileKcriljrd from Guinea tar Herr Dewits! under the 

 name of H.poggti (Verb. L.C Ak. Naturf. sli. ei>, n. 2,1, t. 2, I. a>," ami it will lie interesting to discover whether a racial 

 modification of D. chrysippus has also ensued in that habitat. 



In relation to tbu need of protection required by butterflies from birds and other en-, mi is. necessarily postulated in the 

 doctrine of " mimicry, B it is somewhat remarkably how' some able culnmologistB and many other collectors huvo failed to sue 

 tins phase of the straggle for existence in the butterfly world. Thus Mr. S. Scudder, writing from North America f* Nature,' 

 voL iii. p. 147), states, ■* Altht>ii^h 1 have hum>d butterflies SV . i- tiitreii ye»rs I confess 1 huve never seen one in a bird's bill, 

 and my faith in thui method of lessening tlnir numbers is w ry hlight ; " mid Mr. 11. II. Iliggius {' Notes of a Held Naturalist 

 iu the Western Tropica,' p. 85; records that during three days he watched two species of Klj-catchers actively at work, and that 

 "not a butterfly; of any kind was touched " : and inn In v. that during " the entire journey 1 did not nee a butterfly of any kind 

 attacked liy u bird." In striking contrast to these doubts aire the allirmations of many distinguished naturalists anil travellers. 

 Thus Mr. lU-\t (■ Naturalist in Nicaragua,' p. 910? observed pair of birds that were bringing butterflies and dragouflies to 

 their young." Mr. T. P. Bigg- Wither (' Pioneering in South Brazil/ vol. i. p. 29*2), speaking of a bird known by the local name 

 of *J Suruqua," relates that its " principal food consists of butterflies nud lather soft-bodied dying insects," Mr. 1". II. Qosse 

 (' Birds of Jamaica/ p. 194), writing of one of the (ireeulets {Virco&ytvia cal'uirix)^ remarks that he has seen one in eager but 

 unsuccessful pursuit of a butterfly (7Vria*|. Mr. \\ alJuee is a witness i lint (t in the Brazilian forests there are great numbers 

 of insectivorous birds— as jaeauiars, trogous, and puff-bird* — which catch insects on the wing, and that they destroy many 

 butterflies is indicated by tho fact that the wiu^ of iln-ne insects are often found on the ground t where their bodies have been 

 devoured" £ Natural Selection/ p. 70 b in Southern India Mr. £. L.Arnold ( 4 0u the Indian Uilla/ vol. i. p. 247-8) describes 

 Tctiqa hecat* and Papilla pammon as apparently " the principal victim* of the graceful green lieu-eaters, a pair of which had 

 their perches on the woodwork of el disused well, and every now and then made rapid darts at passing insects. They never 

 missed their prey, and always brought their tjimrry buck to the same spot to be d is winged before being swallowed, the ground 

 under their watch -towers being thickly titrewn with gaily paiuted shreds of unfortunate butterflies and bees." Such quotations 

 could be considerably increased if spaco permitted. 



Besides the numerous foes of butterflies, as birds, lizards, tlragonliies, itc M may be added at least some of the " foraging- 

 ants/' Dr. R Elleudorf, at Nivas in Nicaragua, describes having met a column with "all the ants laden with leaves, beetles, 

 pupa*, butterflies, Ac/' iQu.-U-d l.y Hiichner, 1 Mind in Animals, Eng. transl., p. 98). As to lizard*, Mr. K. W. Bhufeldt bos 

 recently (Amer. Nat, vol. xvii. p. 024-5) described seeing the American Chameleon {Anotis principalis) make "a successful 

 spring upon rather a large butterfly," mid having silenced its prey, *" tore off the creature * wings, and disposed of his body 



tans ceremome. 



t Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. eer. 5, vol. xii. p. 102. 

 December, 1888. 



a x 



