544 THE ZOO0LOGIST. 
directions. This may even occur in an unexpected way, as in the 
observation of Col. Pollok, cited by Mr. Distant, that the Tiger has 
not yet learnt that in pursuit of game nothing can be done down wind. 
Considerations such as these must lend a certain measure of support 
to the mechanical conception of natural selection. Thus, in the matter 
of conscious resemblance, although many animals may show undoubted 
intelligence in other directions, it is highly probable that, in the great 
majority of cases, their reasoning powers would not be sufficient to enable 
them to decide whether, or no, their own colouring would have a pro- 
tective value in any new or unusual environment, It is far more 
reasonable to suppose that such knowledge as they may have in this 
respect would be acquired through their experience of their liability to, 
or immunity from, attack under such conditions, quite apart from any 
colour considerations. ‘The former process would be a true instance 
of ‘active mimicry,’’ as defined by Mr. Distant, but the latter cannot 
be included under that term; indeed, in such cases, experience in the 
individual is the equivalent of natural selection in the species. 
In the preliminary portion of his paper, Mr. Distant has given us 
many excellent examples and arguments to show that mimicry and 
protective resemblance probably existed in very remote antiquity ;™ 
and he has done well in drawing attention to the matter, which is apt 
to be overlooked. But I must certainly join issue with him when he 
states that: ‘The present attitude of many champions of the cause, 
who seek to find, or to invent, present factors for producing these 
phenomena, seems fraught with peril for the whole theory; and, with 
the same weariness and perseverance with which the original promul- 
gators thought out the doctrine, we must go on searching for further 
proofs, which will necessitate our appealing to the Cesar of the past— 
the ever-growing science of paleontology ”’ (/.¢., p. 802). I must con- 
fess that this appears to me to be a very remarkable assertion. In the 
first place, the vast majority of cases generally referred to mimicry and 
resemblance are concerned with colour and movement alone, structure 
playing but a very subordinate part therein.* Mr. Distant has himself 
been at some pains to show the very evident futility of appealing to 
* The point discussed was the strwetwral characters of the Phasmide. The 
exact quotation requires this antecedent: ‘We still have abundant reason 
for believing that, though the protective resemblance of these Phasmidz was 
already acquired in Carboniferous times, the presence of Amphibia in an 
evolutionary sense is quite sufficient to account for it. This prompts two 
reflections: one, that we ought to look a long way back for the origins of 
these protective and mimetic guises; and the other, that we may reason- 
ably hope to find them” (p. 302).—Eb. 
