188 ANIMAL COLORATION. 



Mr. Poulton admits the attraction of bright spots and 

 patches upon animals, which may serve two purposes : they 

 may either lure on insects to their destruction, or may direct 

 attention to less vital parts, and so serve as a protection. 



Instance of Alluring Coloration in a Lizard. 

 As an instance of the former may be cited a lizard which 

 is to be seen at the College of Surgeons Museum. This 

 creature is protectively coloured, being like the sand in which 

 it lives ; but a fold of skin at each corner of the mouth is 

 u produced into a flower-like shape, exactly resembling a little 

 red flower which grows in the sand." 



Both Mr. Stewart and Mr. Poulton believe that insects are 

 deceived by what they think is a flower, and approach the 

 lizard only to fall victims to their lack of intelligence. 



While agreeing with these naturalists as to the probability 

 of such events happening (they have got to be proved, how- 

 ever), I would lay stress rather upon the bright colour than 

 the likeness to a flower, which I should not venture to describe 

 as " exact." 



Other Examples of Alluring Colours. 



It is said that the brightly coloured crests of many birds 

 acr in the same way as a lure : here, of course, there can 

 be no question of any special resemblance to a flower. It 

 is well known that many insects are attracted by the droppings 

 of animals. Mr. Forbes discovered in Java a spider which 

 showed the most marvellously detailed resemblance to the 

 excreta of a bird ; this will be admitted by any person who will 

 refer to the figure of the insect in the paper quoted on p. 11U. 

 The supposition is that the spider profits by this resem- 

 blance and secures an ample harvest of insects. " The whole 

 combination of habits, form, and colouring," says Mr. Poulton, 



