THE WONDERS OF A] AX REEF 311 



avoid their pursuers and to defend themselves. 

 In some cases the hunted ones so closely mimic 

 their surroundings or imitate the appearance of 

 some other animal that is never pursued, enough 

 of them manage to escape capture to perpetuate 

 the race. Most of the butterflies fly in zigzags, 

 so that a pursuing bird is apt to miss them. 

 Many have the under sides of the wings a dull or 

 dusky color so when they alight and fold them they 

 look exactly like the surface of the branch or tree 

 trunk on which they rest. A great many of them 

 (as well as other animals) have a nauseous taste 

 and no matter how gaudy their colors may be the 

 pursuers let them alone. When A. D. Brown, a 

 distinguished conchologist, was collecting land 

 snails in Haiti he noticed on the trees specimens of 

 a lovely green and gold Helicina. He wondered 

 why so conspicuous an animal should carelessly 

 expose itself to its enemies. But one day he had 

 occasion to put one in his mouth and he knew the 

 reason at once; it was bitter as gall! Other ani- 

 mals are armed for defense; still others may be 

 exceedingly swift of wing or foot or fin ; all have 

 at least some means of eluding their foes. 



Here on this reef the gorgeously colored fish 



