author's abstract of this paper issued 

 by the nibliographic service august 11. 



STUDIES UPON THE BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF 

 ANIMAL COLORATION 



I. THE COLOES AND COLOR CHANGES OF WEST INDIAN 



REEF-FISHES 



W. H. LONGLEY 



Coucher College, and Department of Marine Biology, Carnegie Institution of 



Washington 



EIGHT FIGURES (ONE PLATE) 



CONTENTS 



Introduction 533 



Detailed statement of results 536 



Countershading 536 



Color change 542 



Correlation of color with habit 555 



Discussion of results 583 



iSummary '. 596 



Bibliography 597 



INTRODUCTION 



Zoologists have long been uncertain how to interpret the 

 vivid coloration of some animals. Many consider the advantage 

 it confers measured by its conspicuousness. Others deny its 

 utility; ascribe its appearance to the vagaries of metabolism; 

 regard it as an expression of tendencies determined by racial 

 constitution, or refer it largely to the action of external factors. 

 To only a few the conspicuousness of animals of high color seems 

 too lightly assumed, and they maintain that belief in its existence 

 rests chiefly upon failure to appreciate the obliterative effect of 

 bright or strongly contrasted hues when they are displayed 

 under natural conditions. Thus it is apparent that confusion 

 prevails, and that new methods are required to rehabilitate a 

 subject of investigation that has fallen somewhat into disrepute. 



533 



