420 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



ing of some of the soft parts of the corals may be in like 

 ease, but possibly useful for attraction of prey, being visible 

 by the phosphorescent light. The same coloring matters 

 exist in deep-sea animals which are found in shallow-water 

 forms. Polyperythrin is found abundantly in surface-swim- 

 ming JRhizostomce and in deep-sea Corals and Actiniw. An- 

 tedonin occurs in a shallow-water (9 fathoms) Antedon at 

 Cape York, and in a Holothurian found in 1975 fathoms near 

 the Antarctic Sea. No doubt in many instances in the case of 

 deep-sea possessors of these substances, the pigments, from 

 being in the dark, never exercise their peculiar complex ac- 

 tion on light during the whole life of the animal, but remain 

 in darkness, never showing their color, as does Haemoglobin 

 in so many animals. 



An essay on the colors of Animals and Plants, by Mr. Alfred 

 R. Wallace, gives a general account of the more recent dis- 

 coveries in this field of study. He believes " that neither 

 the general influence of solar light and heat nor the special 

 action of variously tinted rays is adequate cause for the 

 wonderful variety, intensity, and complexity of the colors 

 that everywhere meet us in the animal and vegetable 

 world." He groups them as follows: 



"1. Protective colors. 

 9 ,y , . , ( a. Of creatures specially protected. 



Animals I ' ' ' \ b. Of defenceless creatures, mimicking a. 



j 3. Sexual colors. 



[_4. Typical colors. 

 Plants 5. Attractive colors. 



In a recent essay on the colors of British Caterpillars, Sir 

 John Lubbock confirms the statements of several European 

 naturalists, who have indicated that, as a general rule, cater- 

 pillars which are dull-colored and have a smooth skin or are 

 nocturnal in their habits are greedily eaten by birds. On 

 the other hand, spiny and hairy caterpillars are spared, and 

 are often brightly colored. Certain species such as Deile- 

 2'j/iila euphorbia*, Abraxas grossulariata, and Zygcena filipen- 

 dula are distasteful to birds; and in these cases brilliant 

 coloring serves as a warning and, consequently, as a protec- 

 tion. Lastly, there are a few species such as Cho&rocampa 

 elpenor and C.porceUus which appear to frighten birds by 

 their resemblance to small reptiles a resemblance singular- 

 ly heightened by the curious eye-like spots on the thorax. 



