RESEMBLANCES AMONG ANIMALS 



3°5 



In point of fact, if we sift out the cases 

 in which mimicry and protective coloration 

 have been demonstrated beyond question, we 

 find that their number is by no means as 

 large as we at first assume. And of the 

 remaining cases, probable, or imperfectly 

 proven, we should, in fairness, leave open 

 the possibility that what seems protectively 

 colored or mimetic resemblance might in 

 the end turn out to be accidental and N eseCr>b, z>otfppe p < ieturing > iii 



meaningless. 







a • ., relief an oriental tace. 



And in the present notice it 



may be interesting to refer to these 

 meaningless resemblances in order to 

 show both that they are abundant, 

 and that they are excessively compli- 

 cated — in certain cases, even more 

 complicated than those which are 

 commonly regarded as typical, if not 

 brilliant instances of protective or 

 mimetic adaptation. 



As an example of a meaningless 

 resemblance let us first refer to the 

 Taira-crab, a Dorippe, Fig. 1, on whose 

 back a human face appears strikingly 

 portrayed. This crab occurs rather 

 vhale -ear-bone -which abundaiitlv in a region of the Japanese 



in profile suggests the lace of a Scandi- J *= r"" v 



navian fisherman. coast where many centuries ago a great 



naval battle took place : and it was 

 only after this time, local Buddhistic 

 tradition states, that a. face of a 

 Taira warrior appeared on each 

 carapace, as tangible evidence that 

 the souls of the dead migrated into 

 the bodies of these lower animals I 1 

 Now, the resemblance in this case is 

 developed to an almost uncanny de- 

 gree; the face, first of all, is clearly 

 oriental — even more Chinese or Co- 

 rean in type than modern Japanese, 

 but from this very fact the more 

 singular, since at that time but few 



'A.D. 1184, at Dan-no-ura, the Taira 

 clan was exterminated by the rival 

 Minamoto headed by Prince Yoshitsnne. 



Fig. 3. Occiput of goat's skull, showing 

 face of Hanuman monkey. 



