564 Mr. A. H. Thayer on 
Butterflies very often remain unobserved amidst flowers 
or other vegetation, by any one approaching (especially 
if he be not keenly in search of them) until once flushed. 
Of course our yellow and our white Perinx are pretty 
sure to catch the eye of the person approaching, if, as 
very commonly, they are found amidst dark vegetation. 
Yet their colours are precisely those of our most abundant 
flowers, just as they are our most abundant butterflies. 
This fact harmonizes with my argument that, however 
conspicuous in many situations, few animals are so in the 
place or region to which they doubtless owe their abund- 
ance. We see largely the overflow individuals from a 
concealing region into a less favouring one, and erroneously 
think of the species as typical of the region where it is 
visible to us. The gentle waving of the wings, so common 
among butterflies when they are feeding, seems plainly a 
protective imitation of the swaying of leaves and flowers 
in the breeze. Any one who has photographed outdoor 
vegetation knows how seldom it stands still. 
To sum up, the general aspect of each animal’s environ- 
ment, throughout the animal kingdom, is found painted 
upon his coat,in such a way as to minimize his visibility, 
by making the beholder think he sees through him. How 
has it chanced that, while this fact has long been recog- 
nized, in a crude way, in many fields of zoology, it has 
remained essentially unnoticed in butterflies? Their 
most critical moments being passed upon flowers, the 
aspect of flowers combined in various proportions with 
the dark vistas down among them to the shadowy earth 
beneath, is exquisitely painted upon a vast majority of 
the world’s butterflies, and on none more plainly than 
on those called conspicuous. The Pierine are mainly 
representations of flowers, though surrounded by a dark 
border which appears to belong to the shadows beneath 
it. On the other hand, there are a vast number of dark 
species which represent a portion of this shadow-under- 
vegetation, with bits of yellow vegetation, or of flowers, 
seen against it (these of course being rendered by the 
light markings). Could small, bright patterns on dark 
possibly be more perfect generalizations of small blossoms, 
buds, and stems ? 
I cite the following examples of the various colorations 
described. 
Among the Brassoline, Caligo eurylochus is a marvel of 
