80 N.S. ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Not long since, while collecting, a small brown moth was noticed 

 to settle on the ground under a spruce tree and completely disappear, and 

 although the place where he settled was known within six inches, it took 

 some time to find him. The ground was thickly covered with spruce 

 "spills" and it was not until it was noticed that one of these "spills" pos- 

 sessed fine thread-like legs and antennae pressed close against the wings, 

 that the fake was discovered. 



Here we have the butterfly of the hop caterpillar. When resting 

 on the ground with folded wings we have the turned-up edge of a dog-leaf. 

 The resemblance of some of our geomedrid caterpillars to twigs is amaz- 

 ing, even the buds being faithfully represented by outgrowths on the 

 larva skin. 



A phase of the subject that should be mentioned here is the fact that 

 in some cases the deceptive coloring is purely protective, in others ag- 

 gressive, while in still other it may be both. For example, the wood- 

 cock, or katydid, or hop butterfly have their wonderful coloring and 

 form only as a protection, while the lion or tiger or leopard which have 

 little to fear from natural enemies, are so clothed that they may approach 

 their prey unseen. 



In many of our common insects the coloring is both protective and 

 agressive. The mud colored nymph of the dragon-fly often escapes un- 

 seen the fish that would gladly devour him, but woe to the smaller cre- 

 ture that approaches the unseen death that lurks in his hooked lower lip. 

 The water scorpion so well imitating a sunken twig on the bottom of 

 the pool doubtless has protection from its natural enemies, but many an 

 unwary insect comes within reach of its hooked front legs. 



In view of all that has been said concerning protective coloring, 

 may at first seem strange to think that any creature should find protec- 

 tion in being conspicuously marked, but nevertheless, such is the case. 

 Certain animals are immune from attack, owing to the possession of some 

 special means of defense, and to make these means more effective they 

 advertise themselves by conspicuous coloring. A familiar example will 

 make this clearer. Any animal that has once attacked a skunk, unless 

 it be a natural born fool, will never attack another. Now what is the 

 color of the skunk? Black and white in sharp contrast, and most con- 

 spicuously arranged. He is also provided with a large plume-like tail, 

 also black and white, and held erect, so that as he saunters quietly along, 

 the black and white plume is simply a placard reading "hands off." 

 And the skunk is perfectly aware of his immunity to attack for there is 

 no creature of the woods which meets one with such perfect unconcern, 

 and at the same time no creature receives such perfect respect from those 

 he meets. Now it is obvious that if the skunk were colored in the usual 

 grey or brown of the woodland folk, his natural means of defense would 

 often fail to protect him from attack. 



