SEXUAL VEKSUS NATURAL SELECTION 113 



which would now be interpreted by many natu- 

 ralists as episemes. He believed that the markings 

 in question interfered with the cryptic effect, and 

 came to the conclusion that, even when common 

 to both sexes, they * are the result of sexual 

 selection primarily applied to the male'. 1 The 

 most familiar of all recognition characters was 

 carefully described by him, although here too 

 explained as an ornamental feature now equally 

 transmitted to both sexes : ' The hare on her 

 form is a familiar instance of concealment through 

 colour ; yet this principle partly fails in a closely- 

 allied species, the rabbit, for when running to 

 its burrow, it is made conspicuous to the sports- 

 man, and no doubt to all beasts of prey, by its 

 upturned white tail.' 2 



The analogous episematic use of the bright 

 colours of flowers to attract insects for effecting 

 cross-fertilization and of fmits to attract verte- 

 brates for effecting dispersal is very clearly ex- 

 plained in the Origin. 3 



It is not, at this point, necessary to treat sematic 

 characters at any greater length. They will form 

 the subject of a large part of the following section, 

 where the models of Batesian (Pseudaposematic) 

 Mimicry are considered as well as the Milllerian 

 (Synaposematic) combinations of Warning Colours. 



1 Descent of Man, 544. * Descent of Man, 542. 



3 Ed. 1872, 161. For a good example of Darwin's caution in 

 dealing with exceptions see the allusion to brightly coloured fruit 

 in More Letters, ii. 348. 



