154 MR. C. X. BARKER 



food, if such does occur, though I think there is not much 

 •evidence to prove it, one would expect to be corrected by 

 the parents who are with their nestlings for some time 

 after they leave the nests. Tt seems ditficult to believe 

 that instinct is lost among the lower vertebrates in favour 

 of such a very limited intelligence. 



My aim in writing this paper is, as tlie title demon- 

 strates, to voice my doubts as to the correctness of the 

 assumptions on which the theory of '' Mimicry " relies to 

 prove its reality in nature. In adding a few remarks upon 

 possible causes and effects, I am fully aware of my defi- 

 ciencies and of my inability to treat so thorny and intric- 

 ate a subject with any credit to myself or illumination to 

 my readers. With this apology for my shortcomings, I 

 am content to venture my opinions and leave them to be 

 taken for what they may be worth. 



Evolutionists of nearly all denominations agree that 

 variation acts by slow degrees; by slight modifications 

 Iiere and there in details of an organism. The Initial 

 stages that may eventually bring about the mimicry of 

 one organism by another, or the cryptic semblance of im- 

 mediate surroundings, must originally be of the vaguest 

 character ; quite insufficient to produce in itself any bene- 

 fit in the shape of disguise for either protection or agres- 

 sion. 



Primitive attempts ar develo]mient in any given direc- 

 tion must have had, therefore, some incentive, wliicli can 

 only be heredity stimulated by environment. In the be- 

 ginning there is no appreciable ditferentiation towards 

 " Mimicral " results upon Avhich natural selection can 

 act ])y elimination. Now, if it be granted that the be- 

 ginnings of a variation are the outcome of constitutional 

 and environmental causes, is there any reason why the 

 development should not maintain its tendency in a cer- 

 tain direction towards its objective, so long as the 

 physical conditions remain constant, independently of 

 the action of natural selection? Doubtless, when the 

 variation has advanced so far as to demonstrate its 



