RESEMBLANCES AMONG ANIMALS. C9 



cal modifications might often produce the extinction 

 of a race just as it was approaching perfection, and a 

 hundred checks of which we can know nothing may 

 have retarded the progress towards perfect adaptation ; 

 so that we can hardly wonder at there being so few 

 cases in which a completely successful result has been 

 attained as shown by the abundance and wide diffusion 

 of the creatures so protected. 



Objection that Colour, as being dangerous, should not exist 

 in Nature. 



It is as well here to reply to an objection that will 

 no doubt occur to many readers that if protection is 

 so useful to all animals, and so easily brought about 

 by variation and survival of the fittest, there ought 

 to be no conspicuously-coloured creatures ; and they 

 will perhaps ask how we account for the brilliant 

 birds, and painted snakes, and gorgeous insects, that 

 occur abundantly all over the world. It will be advis- 

 able to answer this question rather fully, in order that 

 we may be prepared to understand the phenomena of 

 " mimicry," which it is the special object of this paper 

 to illustrate and explain. 



The slightest observation of the life of animals will 

 show us, that they escape from their enemies and 

 obtain their food in an infinite number of ways ; and 

 that their varied habits and instincts are in every case 

 adapted to the conditions of their existence. The 

 porcupine and the hedgehog have a defensive armour 

 that saves them from the attacks of most animals. 



