304 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [June, 



The results of most of the earlier experiments with various animals 

 are brought together by Prof. E. B. Poulton in a paper entitled, 

 "The Experimental Proof of the Protective Value of Color and 

 Markings in Insects with Reference to their Vertebrate Enemies" 

 (Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1887, pp. 191-274). It is convenient to 

 review these experiments collectively. Those covered by Poulton 

 are as follows : 



Butler, A. G. Remarks upon certain Caterpillars, etc., which are 

 Unpalatable to their Enemies. Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond.. 1S69, 

 pp. 27-29. 

 Animals experimented with were Lacerta viridis, frogs, and spiders. 

 In part previouslv published in Ent. Monthly Mag., .5, 1868, 

 pp. 131, 132. 

 Poulton, E. B. Diary of observations during 1886. P. Z. S. 

 Lond., 1887, pp. 269-274. " 

 Using Lacerta muralis, L. viridis, and Hyla arbor ea. The earlier 

 sketch of some of the results of these experiments is: "Some 

 experiments upon the protection of insects from their enemies 

 by means of an unpleasant taste or smell." Rep. British A. A. 

 S., 1886 (1887), pp. 694, 695. 

 Weir, J. Jenner. On Insects and Insectivorous Birds, and especially 

 on the relation between the Color and the Edibility of Lepi- 

 doptera and their Larva?. Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1869, pp. 

 21-26. 

 The birds used were seven species of finches, one weaver bird, 

 one muscicapid, one pipit, and one thrush. Few of them are 

 highly insectivorous species. 

 Weir, J. J. Further Observations on the relation between Color and 

 the Edibility of Lepidoptera and their Larvae. Trans. Ent. 

 Soc. Lond., 1870, pp. 337-339. 

 Birds used as in his previous experiments. 

 Weir, J. J. Diary of observations during 1886. Proc. Zool. Soc. 

 Lond., 1887, pp. 268, 269. 

 Experiments with lizards: Lacerta viridis, L. agilis, and Zootoca 

 vivipara. 

 Weismann, A. Studies in the Theory of Descent. London. 1882, 

 Vol. I, pp. 328-341. 

 Principally experiments with Lacerta viridis. 



The main burden of the first half of Poulton's paper is the searching 

 of the results of these experiments for support of "Wallace's original 

 suggestion 'that brilliant or conspicuous larva? would be found to 

 be refused by their enemies'" (p. 196). In the preliminary sketch 50 



60 Rep. British A. A. S., 1886 (1887), p. 694. 



