430 Ih. F. Merri field iim\ Mr. E. B. Ponlton on 



A'.— OBSERVATIONS ON THE COLOUR-RELA- 

 TION BETWEEN A COLEOPTEROUS SPECIES 

 ( Ch'onvs $n Icirosfris) AN D ITS SURROU N D 1 NGS. 

 (W. Holland and E. B. P.) 



The Rliynchophorous species Ckonvs sulcirnsfris is 

 described as possessing very variable markings (Fowler, 

 UritisJi CoIco2^Ura, London, 1801). Mr. W. Holland has 

 recently found it upon the red sands of Boar's Hill near 

 Oxford, and it is most interesting to observe that all the 

 specimens are reddish-brown in colour, entirely different 

 from the grey forms found by him on the sand-hills at 

 Deal, and from the darker grey ones whii^h he finds on 

 ^■hotover Hill also near to Oxford and only a few miles 

 from Boar's Hill. There are yellow and red sands on the 

 top of Shotover, but Mr. Holland has as yet only searched 

 for this species in localities where they are not exposed 

 on the surface. There have been no exceptions to the 

 colours of the very large numbers found on both hills. It 

 is reasonable to suppose that these colours, which certainly 

 harmonise with the ground of each locality, are protective; 

 inasmuch as the species possesses in a very high degree 

 the instincts which lead to concealment. 



So far as I am aware this is the first time that such 

 local a'laptation of colour has been shown to occur in a 

 Coleopterous insect, and the interesting question arises as 

 to whether the species possesses the power of varying its 

 colour during growth according to the stimulus provided 

 by the colours of its surroundings, or whether the results 

 are due to the varying operation of natural selection in 

 diti'erent localities leading in each case to the survival of 

 the individuals which are best concealed. 



It will be of the highest interest to look for further 

 examples in Coleoptera, as well as to attempt to ascertain 

 the manner in which the colour adaptation is brought 

 about. 



