WARNING COLOURS 



snaps its tongue in and out, and gives vent to a 

 threatening blowing sound." Further provocation in- 

 volves bite or bites ; but the lizard is on the whole 

 of the general opinion with regard to the tempering of 

 valour by discretion ; for it takes as early an oppor- 

 tunity as possible of continuing its retreat. The helo- 

 derm has a nauseous odour, which it as a rule scatters 

 about at night, being as it is nocturnal for the main 

 part. Its colour demands some attention. The 

 sullen and gloomy aspect of the beast is largely due to 

 the pitchy black of its skin relieved, or rather heightened, 

 by patches of orange, which orange changes at times 

 to a salmon pink. This startling contrast of yellow 

 and black is one of those especial plans of coloration 

 which have been termed " warning colours." It is 

 exactly paralleled by the variegated salamander of 

 Europe, by the wasp and the hornet, and by the cater- 

 pillar of the " cinnabar " moth. All of these last- 

 mentioned creatures have some disagreeable habit, such 

 as stinging or tasting nasty. Many persons, putting 

 twos and twos together, have arrived at the conclusion 

 that the vivid and easily recognizable colours are an 

 advertisement of this ferocity or inedibility, and may 

 be translated into the phrase " Noli me tangere." 

 Nor is this due to a kindly altruism on the part of the 

 yellow and black ones. It is simply this ; a conflict 

 with an enemy would doubtless result in the defeat of 

 the enemy, or its poisoning by the nasty taste ; but at 

 the same time the salamander or the heloderm would 

 get mauled in the gastronomic attempts of the attacking 

 bird or reptile. It therefore suggests by its colour 

 that to be severely let alone is on the whole the best 

 way of procedure. The heloderm eats all kinds of 

 things in the animal line, worms, insects, and even eggs. 

 It doesn't appear to be a cannibal, which is saying a 

 good deal for a carnivorous reptile. 



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