CHAPTER XI 



BEETLES THAT " BLUFF '* 



The Coloration, and other Forms of Ornament in Beetles, and the 

 Significance thereof in regard to the Sexual Selection Theory 

 — The Courtship of Grasshoppers and their Kin — The Remark- 

 able Ears of Locusts and Grasshoppers — The Field-cricket 

 and the Katydid as Troubadours — The Wonderful Performances 

 of the Cicadas — The Duels of Long-horned Locusts — Dragon- 

 flies — ^The May-flies' " Dance of Death " — The Jaws of the 

 Giant Alder-fly and their Strange Use — Some Curious Facts 

 about Stone-flies. 



In these pages it is contended that neither brilliant 

 coloration nor any other form of ornamentation is 

 to be ascribed to the direct action of " Sexual Selection/' 

 That is to say, such conspicuous features have not been 

 dependent on the action of female choice for their survival 

 and development, but are rather the " expression points " 

 of the internal, inherent growth variations, which, not 

 being inimical to the welfare of the species, have been 

 free to pursue their development in any direction which 

 apparent chance may dictate. 



The Butterflies and Moths well illustrate this in regard 

 to coloration, for scent, not colour, would seem to be 

 their principal source of information as to the outer 

 world. The Beetles are no less instructive ; for these 



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