106 OUR INSECT FRIENDS AND FOES 



showed it to several members of my family, and 

 defined a space of four inches in which it was to 

 be seen, but none of them could perceive that 

 it was a Caterpillar." 



It is in the tropical countries, however, that 

 the most astonishing instances of protective 

 resemblance and mimicry occur. One of the 

 most well-known examples is the "Indian leaf 

 butterfly" (Kallima machjs). On the upper 

 surface the wings of this insect are a deep 

 bluish or purplish tint, with a band of rich 

 orange colour across the fore-wings, so that it is 

 a very conspicuous object when on the wing. Yet 

 when this brilliant Butterfly alights on the 

 branch of a tree, in the dry Indian forests that 

 it frequents, it is quite lost to view, as its wings 

 on the under surface are exact replicas of the 

 withered leaves with which it is surrounded. 



When at rest, the insect folds its wings over 

 its back, and raises its head so that it is concealed 

 between them ; while the short, blunt tail of the 

 hind pair of wings rests upon the branch to 

 simulate a leaf stalk. A long, curved line runs 

 from the tail to the tapering tip of the fore- 

 wings, corresponding to the mid-rib of a leaf, 

 while on each side of the line are oblique 

 markings to represent the veins. 



The colour of the under surface of the wings 

 is remarkably variable, and it is extremely 

 unusual to find two specimens exactly alike. 

 Some are a deep reddish-brown, others a faded 

 yellow, or a dull olive green ; yet, whatever tint 

 the wings may be, they always resemble leaves 

 in some stage of decay. So perfectly is the 



