PROTEOTIVE RESEMBLANCES IN INSECTS. 29 



of the Indian and Malayan Kalllma inachis and K. paralekta. In 

 these species, which on the upper side are deep-blue and orange, 

 the under side copies with perfect accuracy the withered or 

 shrivelled leaves of dead trees or bushes, the imitation going 

 into such details as to reproduce in appearance even the minute 

 fungi or moulds that grow on the leaves ! But this is by no 

 means all the extent of the mimicry ; the shape of the wings 

 when the insect is at rest exactly representing both the pointed 

 apex and the foot-stalk of the leaf, and the attitude assumed 

 both bringing into prominence these details and concealing 

 such parts as the head and antennae which might impair the 

 completeness of the deception. To give an idea of the exact- 

 ness of the imitation, I may mention that Mr. Wallace had a 

 case (which he showed to me) containing one of these butter- 

 flies with expanded wings and a number of other specimens at 

 rest in their natural attitude on a branch. When this case 

 was exhibited to anybody not specially acquainted with such 

 matters, it was his wont to ask how many butterflies were in 

 it, and the answer would always be " One " — meaning the con- 

 spicuous blue-and-orange individual with outspread wings. Mr. 

 Wallace would then explain the imitation, showing that the 

 apparent leaves on the branch were actually butterflies. But 

 he had cunningly left one real leaf among them, and when, 

 after explanation, he would say, " How many butterflies do you 

 count now ? " I believe that almost invariably the answer gave 

 07ie too many, because the real leaf was counted by the spectator 

 as one of the butterflies ! 



The numerous disguises assumed by Spiders have formed the 

 subject of a special paper by Prof. Pavesi (Atti d. Societa Ital. 

 d. Scienze Naturali, vol. xviii., 1875), and among them some of the 

 most interesting are those presented by hunting or wandering 

 spiders, which do not construct webs for netting prey, but 

 trust to their activity or patience. Many species of Thomisus 

 are well adapted to succeed by being coloured in resemblance 

 to the flowers in or on which they await the arrival of their 

 victims. One that inhabits Cape Town is of the exact rose-red 

 of the flowers of the Oleander ; and, the more effectually to 

 conceal it, the palpi, top of cephalothorax, and four lateral stripes 

 on the abdomen are white, according remarkably with the 

 irregular white markings so frequent on the petals of Nerium. 



