t for it to lay a quantity of eggs and leave a numerous
progeny, many of which would inherit the peculiarity which had been the
safeguard of their parent."

[Illustration: LEAF BUTTERFLY IN FLIGHT AND REPOSE.
(_From Mr. Wallace's_ "_Malay Archipelago._")]

As a complete example of mimicry Mr. Wallace refers to a common Indian
butterfly. He says:[26] "But the most wonderful and undoubted case of
protective resemblance in a butterfly, which I have ever seen, is that {31}
of the common Indian _Kallima inachis_, and its Malayan ally, _Kallima
paralekta_. The upper surface of these is very striking and showy, as they
are of a large size, and are adorned with a broad band of rich orange {32}
on a deep bluish ground. The under side is very variable in colour, so that
out of fifty specimens no two can be found exactly alike, but every one of
them will be of some shade of ash, or brown, or ochre, such as are found
among dead, dry, or decaying leaves. The apex of the upper wings is
produced into an acute point, a very common form in the leaves of tropical
shrubs and trees, and the lower wings are also produced into a short narrow
tail. Between these two points runs a dark curved line exactly representing
the midrib of a leaf, and from this radiate on each side a few oblique
lines, which serve to indicate the lateral veins of a leaf. These marks are
more clearly seen on the outer portion of the base of the wings, and on the
inner side towards the middle and apex, and it is very curious to observe
how the usual marginal and transverse striae of the group are here modified
and strengthened so as to become adapted for an imitation of the venation
of a leaf." ... "But this resemblance, close as it is, would be of little
use if the habits of the insect did not accord with it. If the butterfly
sat upon leaves or upon flowers, or opened its wings so as to expose the
upper surface, or exposed and moved its head and antennae as many other
butterflies do, its disguise would be of little avail. We might be sure,
however, from the analogy of many other cases, that the habits of the
insect are such as still further to aid its deceptive garb; but we are not
obliged to make any such supposition, since I myself had the good fortune
to observe scores of _Kallima paralekta_, in Sumatra, and to capture many
of them, and can vouch for the accuracy of the following details. These
butterflies frequent dry forests, and fly very swiftly. They were seen t