536 Mr. C. F. M. Swjnnerton on 



legists' Club *. Publication and discussion seemed, after all, 

 at this stage, the best way to elicit any evidence there might 

 be for or against. Several criticisms were made. 



Criticisms. 



I would like to make it clear that, if I discuss these 

 criticisms somewhat fully here, it is done in no controversial 

 spirit. I do so, partly because the fact that some of the 

 criticisms were made at all shows that I was insufficiently 

 explicit at the meeting, and I wish to be allowed to rectify my 

 omission ; secondly, because, even if we do not yet possess 

 field-evidence in favour of preFei'ence in eggs, I can show 

 that such evidence as exists is, at any rate, by no means 

 incompatible with its existence, and I wish to make out a 

 case for its fair and impartial consideration. 



The two most important criticisms were : — 



(1) The unreliability of results obtained from captive 

 animals, and (2) The lack of corroboration from field- 

 observation. It is a curious fact that it is just these two 

 objections that critics have mainly used against the selec- 

 tionist explanations of coloration in insects, that I had 

 already been testing their validity in the latter connection 

 for some years before I undertook my egg-experiments, and 

 that I was to read a paper in which they were very fully 

 discussed on the very next day. For a fuller statement 

 than I can make here I would like to refer my readers to 

 my paper read at a meeting of the Linnean Society ou 

 April 15, 1915. 



(]) My experience in connection with the first objection 

 has been that it is perfectly true that some animals in 

 captivity mope, have capricious appetites, and are generally 

 useless for food-experimentation. I have found, however, 

 that these animals are easily recognised and eliminated, and 

 that most animals give very consistent and reliable results — 

 always provided that they are well cared for and tolerably 

 happy, friendly with the experimenter, and provided with a 

 rational diet. This should include enough of the class of 

 * Bull. B. 0. C. XXXV. 1915, pp. 108-112. 



