NATTJRAL SELECTION 



Figure 92. Protective Resemblances in Insects. At left, a walking stick insect. 

 At right, an underwing, Catocala, with wings spread ( A ) and at rest on bark ( B ) . 

 ( From Folson and Wardle, "Entomology," P. Blakiston & Co., 1934. ) 



replace them with the sessile flora and fauna of the new locality. The 

 denial of the protective value of so complicated an instinct leads to highly 

 speculative and uncertain conjecture, or to complete default of a theory 

 to explain the observed facts. 



Warning Coloration. Warning coloration is also rather common in the 

 Animal Kingdom. Here the object is just opposite to that of cryptic colora- 

 tion: whereas a cryptic pattern tends to render the animal inconspicuous, 

 a warning pattern is obtrusive, and advertises the presence of an otherwise 

 well-protected animal. As Cott * has put it, "Their bite is worse than their 

 bark." Such animals have formidable defense mechanisms, or they pro- 

 duce foul-smelling substances, or they have a disagreeable taste. The 

 object seems to be to educate potential predators by presenting an easily 

 recognized appearance which a predator will avoid after an initial bad 

 experience. That the method can work is well known to every farm boy 

 whose dog has attacked a skunk or a porcupine. A second encounter rarely 

 occurs. 



Examples of warning coloration are numerous. The skunk and the por- 

 cupine appear to be very clear examples among the mammals. Many 



* Cott, "Adaptive Coloration in Animals," Methuen & Co., Ltd., London, 1940. 



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