Leaf-butterflies 



similar habits, such as that of the jaguar and 

 puma in South America, and the five very 

 differently-coloured flycatchers in the Nilgiri 

 Hills. 



In short, there is abundant evidence to show 



that considerable differences in colour do not 



appear to have any effect on the chances of 



survival in the struggle for existence of those 



that display them. Yet this is precisely what the 



supporters of the Darwinian hypothesis cannot 



afford to admit, for they then find it impossible 



to account for the origin of such a form as 



Kallima, the leaf-butterfly, by the action of 



natural selection. As most people are aware, 



this creature displays a remarkable resemblance 



to a decaying leaf. " These butterflies" (there 



are several species which show the marvellous 



imitation), writes Kellog, on page 53 of Darwinism 



To-day, "have the under sides of both fore and 



hind wings so coloured and streaked that when 



apposed over the back in the manner common 



to butterflies at rest, the four wings combine to 



resemble with absurd fidelity a dead leaf still 



attached by a short petiole to the twig or branch. 



I say absurd, for it seems to me the resemblance 



is over-refined. Here for safety's sake it is no 



question of mimicking some one particular kind 



of other organism or inanimate thing in nature 



which birds do not molest. It is simply to 



produce the effect of a dead leaf on a branch. 



45 



