134 



ANIMAL COLORATION. 



sharply. But we have not yet clone with the defensive weapons 

 of the Puss Moth : two pink lashes can be protruded from 

 the bifurcate tail which the creature lashes about ; these are 

 believed by Messrs Kirby and Spence to be rather a protection 

 against ichneumon flies ; but they terrified Rusel, who, when 

 he first saw the caterpillar darting forth these menacing cata- 

 pults, in addition to its grim attitude, was afraid to touch it- 

 Mr. Poulton found that a marmoset was evidently terrified ; 

 but Weismann found that Lacerta viridis would eat it. 



An interesting case of a combination of several mode& 



Fig. 11. Puss Moth and Caterpillar. 



of defence is given by Dr. Adalbert Seitz in his very read- 

 able paper already referred to. The " Eyed Hawk ' moth, 

 common enough in some districts where willows abound, 

 appears, from the red eye-like markings upon the blue under 

 wings, to be a conspicuous insect. Such, at least, would pro- 

 bably be the opinion of a person who had only seen the insect 

 in the cabinet with its wings " set." 



Under natural circumstances it rests with the brightly 

 coloured lower wings covered by the brown upper wings ; in 

 this attitude it comes to resemble a withered leaf. When not 

 too roughly disturbed, or when about to take flight, it elevates 



