NATURE 



193 



THE COLOURS OF INSECTS CLASSIFIED 

 ACCORDING TO THE METHODS OF ART 

 Observations on the Coloration of Insects. By Brunner 

 von Wattenwyl. Translated by Edward J. Bles, 

 B.Sc, King's College, Cambridge. Pp. 16, and 9 

 Coloured Plates. (Leipzig: W. Engelmann, 1897.) 



THIS publication consists of a series of nine beauti- 

 fully coloured plates containing 118 numbered 

 figures, in addition to several others distinguished by 

 letters. Accompanying the plates is a brief descriptive 

 letter-press which explains the plan on which the illustra- 

 tions have been selected and grouped, and the theoretical 

 views of the author, the eminent orthopterist. The ex- 

 pense of the plates, which must have been very heavy, 

 was aided by a grant from the Wedl Fund of the 

 Imperial Academy of Sciences in Vienna. 



The translation is, on the whole, extremely good, only 

 a sentence now and then serving to recall the (to us) 

 clumsy form of the original. Mr. Bles, in a cautiously 

 worded translator's note, excuses himself from the 

 acceptance of the author's philosophy. 



The printing and general get-up are of the very 

 highest character. 



The views of the author upon mimicry, protective re- 

 semblance, (Sec, are already well known from his previous 

 writings. Thus in 1883 he suggested ( Verh. der K.K. zool. 

 hot. Ges.in IVien, 1883, p. 247) the term "Hypertely" 

 to express the supposed fact that resemblance to 

 surroundings may be more perfect and detailed than 

 is required by the struggle for existence. Thus Brunner 

 could perhaps accept the view that resemblance to a leaf 

 is useful for concealment from enemies, although like- 

 ness to a leaf which has been mined by larvce went, he 

 contended, too far, and transcended the limits of the 

 useful. It was therefore of the highest interest to ascer- 

 tain whether the criticism of so distinguished an ento- 

 mologist was purely destructive — for" Hypertely" merely 

 meant that he could not accept the explanation offered 

 by natural selection — or whether he had not some 

 alternative theory to explain the facts. Hence the 

 expectant interest with which this publication will be 

 received by all naturalists who are interested in theories 

 which are supposed to account for evolution. 



In the Introduction the author describes the plan of 

 his memoir in these words : " The following work con- 

 tains simple observations on the phenomena of colora- 

 tion. I have attempted to classify these phenomena, 

 and I have found laws which have no connection with 

 the care for the preservation of the species." These 

 "laws" consist in classifying a large number of the 

 colours and patterns of insects according to their forms, 

 and especially according to the relationship they bear to 

 the various methods of decorative art as applied by man. 

 It must be regarded as a serious error that the author 

 should have used a monograph of this kind for the burial, 

 rather than the publication, of the description of a few 

 new species. 



The following groups are recognised and beautifully 

 illustrated in the plates : (i) Uniform and Rainbow 

 NO. 1496, VOL. 58] 



Coloration., the simplest and commonest of all ; and 

 next to it (2) Stripes, Bands and Spots. Under this 

 head it is well shown that the stripes often persist over 

 certain contours or surfaces of the body, regardless of 

 the various anatomical features which are traversed ; 

 and also that the continuity of stripes can only be made 

 out, in certain cases, by placing the insect in its position 

 of rest. When an insect possesses a " single narrow 

 band which extends, mostly in a straight line, over the 

 different parts of the bodyj sometimes vertically, some- 

 times horizontally or obliquely," and when this band 

 only becomes continuous in a certain position of the 

 insect, Brunner calls it (3) The Line of Orientation, 

 " because it indicates the position assumed by the in- 

 sect in receiving its coloration." (The form of words 

 used should be noted.) Numerous excellent examples 

 of such lines are figured. The next group consists of 

 (4) Strokes and Dots, a special form of pattern which 

 gives " the impression of a simple pen-and-ink drawing." 

 A certain West African Locustid {Mustius Afzelei) is 

 " marked with a pen-and-ink design " in the form of 

 rings round the antennae, on the borders and tips of the 

 wings in the position of rest, and on the ends of the feet. 

 A detailed description is given by the author " in order 

 to show that in this insect the pen-and-ink markings are, 

 so to speak, the finishing touches to the coloration of 

 the insect." (5) Eye Spots. A beautiful series of these 

 striking markings has been selected and figured. The 

 species belong to the Coleoptera, Orthoptera and Lepi- 

 doptera. (6) Spirals. Another very striking and re- 

 markable form is found in many moths and in the Mantid 

 family Harpagidce, which, however, are described under 

 Section 9. (7) Splash Marks are distinguished from the 

 markings hitherto described by their irregularity and 

 want of symmetry. In two species of Aidarches from 

 the Oriental region, " the effect of the whole is as though 

 the insect with folded wings had been irregularly splashed 

 with a body-colour." Splash marks when crowded may 

 be modified into (8) Clouded Markings, although in this 

 case the pigment is "not applied like a body-colour.'' 

 The author, " speaking figuratively," prefers to " regard 

 these markings [as in the fore-wings of CEdipodidce'\ as 

 produced by the impression of a thumb moistened with 

 colour." 



Up to this point coloration has been considered " as 

 though produced by painting with a brush. Besides 

 this, forms of coloration are met with which imply, when 

 carefully considered, another method of application." 

 The first of these are (9) Stencil Patterns, in which " the 

 colour is perfectly uniform throughout with hard contours, 

 like the wall paintings produced with the aid of stencil 

 plates." " In many instances, various colours are laid 

 on in different shapes, like in polychrome decorations." 

 The examples are selected from dragon-flies and Orth- 

 optera. The realistic manner in which the author follows 

 up his own metaphor is well shown in his description 

 of the marking on the fore-wings of the Harpagid 

 {Mantidce) Pseudocreobotra ocellata from Natal. 



" One sees on the transparent, somewhat yellowish 

 ground of the fore-wings, firstly, a green patch laid on 

 as with a stencil. Then, in the middle of the green por- 

 tion, opaque citron-yellow is laid on in the form of a 

 spiral. The spiral is bordered with a heavy black line, 



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