CHAP. VIII.] LIKENESSES IN ANIMALS AND PLANTS. 245 



&quot; walking leaf ;&quot; since both in form and colour its body so 

 closely resembles a leaf that it is most difficult of detection 

 when found amongst real leaves. 



Mr. Bates was the first to call attention to the phenomenon 

 as it exists amongst butterflies, and he may be called the 

 discoverer of what he named &quot;mimicry.&quot; Mr. Wallace, in 

 his work on Natural Selections, has brought forward* most 

 interesting examples, serving to show not only the existence 

 of these strange likenesses but the protecting influence which 

 they, in many instances, exercise in favour of the creatures 

 which exhibit them. One of the most complete instances 

 is that afforded by an Indian butterfly, as to which he 

 remarks : t 



&quot; But the most wonderful and undoubted case of protective resem 

 blance which I have ever seen, is that of the common Indian Kallima, 

 inacJiis, and its Malayan ally Kallima paralecta. The upper surface of 

 these is very striking and showy, as they are of a large size, and are 

 adorned with a broad band of rich orange on a deep bluish ground. 

 The under-side is very variable in colour, so that out of fifty specimens 

 no two can be found exactly alike, but every one of them will be of 

 some shade of ash, or brown, or ochre, such as are found among dead, 

 dry, or decaying leaves. The apex of the upper wings is produced into 

 an acute point, a very common form in the leaves of tropical shrubs 

 and trees, and the lower wings are also produced into a short, narrow 

 tail. Between these two points runs a dark curved line exactly repre 

 senting the midrib of a leaf, and from this radiate on each side a few 

 oblique lines, which serve to indicate the lateral veins of a leaf. These 

 marks are more clearly seen on the outer portion of the base of the 

 wings, and on the inner side towards the middle and apex ; and it is 

 very curious to observe how the usual marginal and transverse striae 

 of the group are here modified and strengthened so as to become 

 adapted for an imitation of the variation of a leaf. .... But this 

 resemblance, close as it is, would be of little use if the habits of the 

 insect did not accord with it. If the butterfly sat upon leaves as upon 

 flowers, or opened its wings so as to expose the upper surface, or ex 

 posed and moved its head and antennae as many other butterflies do, 

 its disguise would be of little avail. We might be sure, however, 

 from the analogy of many other cases, that the habits of the insect are 

 such as still further to aid its deceptive garb ; but we are not obliged 

 to make any such supposition, since I myself had the good fortune to 



* Chap. iii. p. 45. t Op. cit. p. 59. 



