Chapter XI 

 CAMOUFLAGE 



In the color resemblance of the fishes that follow 

 Physalia, we have touched upon a circumstance which 

 leads us now to conside^r some important and funda- 

 mental advantages possessed by certain animals of the 

 seashore in their struggle for existence. I refer to 

 those aggressive and protective endowments, apart 

 from distinct organs of offense and defense, which are 

 usually known as mimicry, masking, deceptive colora- 

 tion, or by some term of similar significance. 



The dense population of the shore makes competi- 

 tion exceedingly keen. Everything that is edible has 

 scores of hungry claimants; this applies to the larger 

 living animals as w^ell as to the most trifling bit of 

 organic food. Now, as one half literally subsists on 

 the other half, it is obvious that any device which will 

 enable the possessors the better to obtain something 

 to eat or to avoid being eaten, will promote the welfare 

 of the species as effectively as that of the individual. 

 No one can seriously study the conditions that prevail 

 in this area without becoming early aware of the fact 

 that, notwithstanding the enormous prolificacy which 

 obtains here, the balance of life is maintained at a 

 somewhat critical point. Even among the dominant 



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