266 THE COLOURS OF ANIMALS 



mimicking species is defended against the enemies 

 which are afraid of or dislike the mimicked form. In a 

 relatively few cases, however, it seems to be defended 

 from the attacks of the mimicked form itself. Thus 

 Bates describes a genus of South American crickets 

 (Scaphiira) which closely resemble 'different sand 

 wasj)s of large size, which are constantly on the search 

 for crickets to provision then* nests with.' Another 

 cricket resembled a predaceous tiger-beetle, and was 

 * always found on trees frequented by the beetles.' ^ 

 A few other examples will be found in the preceding 

 pages. 



Aggressive Mimicry 



In most cases of Aggressive Mimicry one species 

 resembles another in order to be able to approach it 

 without exciting suspicion. The former is thus able 

 to injure the latter in some one of the ways which 

 will be described below. Aggressive Mimicry is far less 

 common than Protective Mimicry. 



Trimen has shown that hunting spiders are 

 sometimes very like the flies on which they prey. 

 The general resemblance in size, form, and colouring 

 is greatly aided by the movements of the spiders, which 

 evidently mimic ' the well-known movements so cha- 

 racteristic of flies.' Bates has described a Mantis which 

 closely resembles the white ants on which it feeds. 



In some cases the Mimicry enables the aggressive 



1 Loc. ciU p. 509. 



