212 THE COLOURATION OF INSECTS 



Phymateus viridipes, another large grasshopper of a hard 

 green colour, with spiny thorax, and fully developed blue 

 and crimson wings, so that when flying it is extremely 

 conspicuous. 



One of these was put on the ground some little distance 

 away rom a group of fowls, one of which at once ran 

 up to it. The grasshopper remained where it was, but, 

 when the fowl came dangerously near, raised the wings 

 and wing covers perpendicularly and opened out the 

 former to show their bright red colouring. The fowl 

 halted, looked at it, turned round and walked away, 

 nor could it be induced to touch the insect. After a 

 similar result had been obtained on another occasion, 

 the grasshopper was killed and laid down near the fowls, 

 .^ho wings being of course hidden beneath the covers. 

 A half-grown fowl at once ran up and pecked at it, and, 

 being pursued by another, ran off with the grasshopper, 

 put it down and pecked at it again, but certainly did 

 not seem to relish it, finding it very tough. The fowl at 

 length picked off the legs, but made no impression on the 

 body. 



Just as it was about to leave it, a second half-grown 

 fowl rushed up, took it away and pecked vigorously at 

 it, pulled off the head but did not eat it, and finally 

 walked away and left it. These observations show, 

 firstly, the value of the aposeme in warning off dangerous 

 enemies, and secondly, the distastefulness of the owner. 



It will have been noted that the fowl made no impression 

 on the tough body of the grasshopper, and this brings 

 out another point. Should an aposematic insect have 

 the misfortune to be one of those that are tasted by an 

 inexperienced young foe, it may quite possibly survive 

 the tasting, and be able to propagate its kind if it is of 

 sufficient toughness. Consequently one finds that apose- 

 matic species, in strong contrast to procryptic species, 

 are endowed with astonishing powers of resisting injury, 



