DEFENCES OF INSECTS 



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are most commonly accompanied by warning colours 

 are those of bad taste or smell (see Fig. 48), attributes 

 the possession of which it is a matter of great con- 

 sequence to the solitary individual to conspicuously 

 advertise. It should perhaps be mentioned that there 

 are many cases where brilliant colour has not been 



FIG. 49. Homeland Mimetic Bug; rom Belt. 



experimentally shown to be associated with some 

 distasteful property. 



Where colour serves to proclaim danger or in- 

 edibility, it is an interesting fact that the signal is a 

 very constant one. The colours that are chiefly 

 acquired by nauseous insects are those that produce 

 the sharpest contrasts, therefore they are the most 

 easily perceived, indeed they obtrude themselves 

 upon notice, and their number being small the same 



