78 MIMICRY, AND OTHER PROTECTIVE 



birds more easily than almost any other insects, their 

 great abundance all over the wide region they inhabit 

 shows that they are not so persecuted. It is to be es- 

 pecially remarked also, that they possess no adaptive 

 colouring to protect them during repose, for the under 

 side of their wings presents the same, or at least an 

 equally conspicuous colouring as the upper side ; and 

 they may be observed after sunset suspended at the end 

 of twigs and leaves where they have taken up their 

 station for the night, fully exposed to the attacks of 

 enemies if they have any. These beautiful insects 

 possess, however, a strong pungent semi-aromatic or 

 medicinal odour, which seems to pervade all the juices 

 of their system. When the entomologist squeezes the 

 breast of one of them between his fingers to kill it, a 

 yellow liquid exudes which stains the skin, and the 

 smell of which can only be got rid of by time and re- 

 peated washings. Here we have probably the cause of 

 their immunity from attack, since there is a great deal 

 of evidence to show that certain insects are so disgust- 

 ing to birds that they will under no circumstances 

 touch them. Mr. Stainton has observed that a brood 

 of young turkeys greedily devoured all the worthless 

 moths he had amassed in a night's "sugaring," yet 

 one after another seized and rejected a single white 

 moth which happened to be among them. Young phea- 

 sants and partridges which eat many kinds of cater- 

 pillars seem to have an absolute dread of that of the 

 common currant moth, which they will never touch, and 

 tomtits as well as other small birds appear never to eat 



