June, 1897.] Webster : On Protective Mimicry. 67 



THE PROTECTIVE VALUE OF ACTION, VOLI- 

 TIONAL OR OTHERWISE, IN "PROTECTIVE 

 MIMICRY."* 



By F. M. Webster. 



Whatever in the form, color or actions of an organism tends to en- 

 able it to escape from its enemies, or more readily secure a proper supply 

 of food, is, to a certain extent, protective in its effects. Forms, not in 

 possession of such advantages, will, in case of an unusual abundance of 

 enemies, or a deficit in the supply of food, be the least likely to survive. 

 In this paper it is the intention of the author to discuss only such cases 

 of "protective mimicry" as require some special movements, or the 

 assumption of some peculiar or unique position, on the part of the pro- 

 tected form, in order to continue or complete the deceptive effects of 

 its shape, color or coloration. 



There are a number of insects that, prepared and placed in our cab- 

 inets, have comparatively little resemblance to each other, while in the 

 midst of life and activity, are distinguishable from each other only with 

 extreme difficulty. An example may be found in Podosesia syringce 

 Harr., which somewhat resembles Polistes annularis Fabr., in form, while 

 its movements are almost an exact reproduction of those of the latter spe- 

 cies, which is an armed wasp, while the former is a helpless moth. The 

 Varying Hare, Lepus americanus virginianus Harlan, no doubt derives 

 more or less protection from the color of its fur, but this protection does 

 not appear to be supplemented by any correlative action on the part of 

 the animal itself. 



Many naturalists object to the use of the term ''protective mim- 

 icry," for the reason that it implies mental capabilities supposed to be 

 confined to the human race. The statement is made, and by those 

 whose opinion is worthy of the greatest respect and most careful con- 

 sideration, that the influences of natural selection are amply sufficient to 

 account for all such phenomena, and that we do not need to assume the 

 presence of volition as a factor in such phenomena. In some quarters 

 the initial step, in an investigation of the phenomenon of " protective 

 mimicry," is to close the door, so to speak, against any possibility of 

 the most primitive kind of intelligence, on the part of the mimicing 

 species, while to admit that a mimicing insect has any conception of its 

 own appearance, is the most dangerous sort of heresy. Now there are 

 * Read before the Ohio State Academy of Science, December 30, 1896. 



